OVG adds first Middle East venues to portfolio
Oak View Group (OVG) has added the first two Middle East venues to its portfolio after announcing its expansion into the region last year.
In partnership with UAE event management and venue operator Ethara, OVG will take over operations at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and House of Sustainability (formerly UAE Pavilion) in Expo City Dubai.
Zayed Sports City has been touted as a cornerstone of Abu Dhabi’s sporting and entertainment landscape, having hosted major tennis and football tournaments such as the Mubadala World Tennis Championships and the FIFA Club World Cup.
The city features a range of facilities, including the Zayed Sports City Stadium, International Tennis Centre, Khalifa International Bowling Centre, Zayed Sports City Ice Rink, and Mubadala Pavilion.
The 45,000-capacity stadium – the largest in the UAE – is set to host four shows on Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour on 9, 11, 12, and 14 January 2025.
“We are thrilled to be expanding OVG’s venue portfolio with the first two venues in the region under OVG Middle East”
The House of Sustainability, formerly the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, offers 8,000 square meters of exhibition space in Expo City Dubai. The venue’s new guise was unveiled at Cop28 (United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC) in 2023.
Last year, OVG announced its expansion in the Middle East through a joint venture Ethara, which promotes events such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Yasalam After-Race Concerts, and operates venues in the United Arab Emirates, such as Etihad Arena, Etihad Park, Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Conference Centre.
“We are thrilled to be expanding OVG’s venue portfolio with the first two venues in the region under OVG Middle East,” says Jessica Koravos, president of OVG International.
“They each embody excellence in their respective domains with Zayed Sports City’s rich heritage of world-class sporting and entertainment events, and the House of Sustainability with its groundbreaking design and significance in Expo City Dubai. This expansion aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering bespoke venue and hospitality solutions and commitment to delivering exceptional experiences at world-class facilities throughout the region.”
David Powell, chief strategy and business development officer of Ethara, added: “Ethara has a legacy of operating four of the region’s most iconic and groundbreaking venues which have each helped shape the event and venue industry in the region over the last 16 years. Through our partnership with OVG, we look forward to integrating Zayed Sports City and the House of Sustainability into our portfolio as we look to evolve to meet the ever-evolving demands of the industry under OVG Middle East.”
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Oak View Group expands into the Middle East
Oak View Group (OVG) is expanding into the Middle East through a joint venture with newly established event management and venue operator, Ethara.
Ethara launched earlier this year following the merger of state-owned promoter Flash Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM).
The new company promotes events such as the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Yasalam After-Race Concerts, and operates venues in the United Arab Emirates, such as Etihad Arena, Etihad Park, Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Conference Centre.
With offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh, Ethara will “provide detailed knowledge of the local markets, enabling OVG and Ethara to explore significant growth opportunities together across the Middle East”.
The launch of the partnership follows OVG’s recent acquisition of leading British venue caterer Rhubarb Hospitality Collection (RHC).
The new JV will see both the RHC and Ethara working closely together to improve the fan experience by delivering exceptional food, beverage, and hospitality services at live entertainment venues across the Middle East, including in the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
“The pace of change in the region makes [the Middle East] one of the most exciting places in the world to operate in right now”
“The Middle East is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and live entertainment markets, so our new offering in the region is a natural step for OVG to take,” says Tim Leiweke, CEO, OVG.
“The pace of change in the region, with major global events like the Dubai Expo and Qatar World Cup, makes it one of the most exciting places in the world to operate in right now. We are confident that working with our partner Ethara, OVG will emulate our success across North America and Europe in the Middle East.”
Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, CEO, Ethara, adds: “It is a proud moment to announce this joint venture with our new partner, OVG as we continue to expand our capabilities and impact across the region as the leading event management and venue operator in the Middle East. The significant growth in our region now includes regularly hosting the world’s biggest events. There is increasing demand for world-class venues with first-class hospitality to serve these events and provide unforgettable experiences for fans. This partnership with OVG will allow us to continue to innovate in this space and continue to bring exciting new events and opportunities to the market.”
Last week, OVG announced a partnership with Madison Square Garden Entertainment and its sister company Sphere Entertainment on a new entity, called Crown Properties Collection, which will manage their sports and entertainment brand partnerships.
OVG owns 11 major new arenas either open or under development including Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center, UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, and Moody Center in Austin, Texas, and Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, as well as the Co-op Live development in Manchester, UK.
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Ethara CEO maps out vision for new events company
The boss of Abu Dhabi’s new live entertainment powerhouse Ethara has shared his vision for the company.
Ethara officially launched earlier this month following the merger of state-owned promoter Flash Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM).
Collectively, ADMM and Flash delivered hundreds of major events in the decade and a half since their inception, including the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yasalam After-Race Concerts and FIFA Club World Cup. News of their merger came weeks after European live group All Things Live launched a new operation in the Middle East, headed by veteran promoter Thomas Ovesen.
“Ethara means excitement, and that’s what we’re all about, we’re about delivering events and managing venues, and making moments that matter. That’s our focus,” CEO Saif Al-Noaimi tells Arab News. “So Ethara brings in 300 event and venue specialists under one structure and one umbrella and creates a capability that’s unrivalled in the region.
“If you look at the portfolio of what the team in Ethara has delivered over the 15 years in both ADMM and Flash Entertainment, we’ve delivered over 700 major events. We’ve had over 16 million attendees to these events over the last 15 years. And these are large global events.
“So, the capability that this team has, the experience, the expertise doesn’t exist [elsewhere], and creating this company Ethara brings all of that capability in-house, creates experiences, creates the ability to deliver to our guests and to our clients unrivalled experiences.”
“Bringing all these capabilities under one organisation gives us an amazing ability”
The firm will also continue to manage and oversee a portfolio of assets including Etihad Park, Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi’s Formula 1 circuit, Yas Marina Circuit and the Yas Conference Centre.
“Yas Marina Circuit being the iconic Formula One venue, Etihad Arena, the largest indoor multipurpose arena. Etihad Park, the largest outdoor dedicated venue for concerts, and Yas Conference Center, a multifunction venue,” adds Al-Noaimi. “Bringing all these capabilities under one organisation gives us an amazing ability and we’re really excited to see what comes out of this.”
Foo Fighters, who will be making their UAE debut, Tiësto and Ava Max are the first three headliners confirmed for the Yasalam After-Race Concerts lined up for F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend at Etihad Park in November.
Ethara, which has a remit to “shape the future of events, entertainment and venue management throughout the Middle East and beyond”, also has offices in Dubai and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“Both are very interesting markets for us,” adds Al-Noaimi. “Obviously, Dubai is right next door to us. And the kingdom is a growing market for events. What’s happened there in the last few years is unbelievable and very exciting. We want to be part of that growth in that journey.”
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Foo Fighters announce free global Veeps livestream
Foo Fighters have announced a free global livestream event this weekend, which will include debut performances of songs from the band’s new album But Here We Are.
Beamed from the group’s own 606 studios, Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts will also feature exclusive behind the scenes footage and other surprises.
The event is being broadcast via Veeps, the Live Nation-owned streaming platform developed by Good Charlotte’s Joel and Benji Madden. It will premiere on Sunday 21 May at 8pm BST exclusively at foofighters.veeps.com, with on-demand repeat viewing enabled through 24 May. Fans can access their free ticket here.
“Having a place to make these moments accessible is why we built Veeps”
“Shows like this don’t happen every day,” says Veeps CEO and founder Joel Madden. “To take this moment to gather fans worldwide, to give people an opportunity to share in the experience no matter where they are, is a gift. Having a place to make these moments accessible is why we built Veeps and we’re honoured to be trusted with delivering this incredible show for Foo Fighters and all of their fans.”
Since launching in 2018, Veeps has livestreamed performances from more than 2,000 artists including Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Louis Tomlinson, Patti Smith, Metallica and an Emmy-nominated Kings of Leon show from London’s The O2.
Notable recent Veeps livestreams have included Louis Tomlinson’s All of Those Voices global film premiere in LA last week and January’s iHeart ALTerEGo, with shows by Trixie & Katya and Def Leppard still to come.
Out 2 June, But Here We Are is the Foo Fighters’ 11th studio album and first since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. Hawkins died aged 50 in March 2022 in Bogota, Colombia. The Foos’ upcoming tour kicks off on 24 May at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, NH.
“Ethara is committed to delivering thrilling experiences for our fans and creating memorable moments that matter”
The group have also confirmed their first concert in the UAE, with a headline performance at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts lined up for F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend at Etihad Park on 26 November. The event, which will also feature Tiësto and Ava Max, will be presented by new Middle East-based live entertainment powerhouse Ethara.
Ethara was officially launched this week following the merger of Abu Dhabi promoter Flash Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM).
“It is a privilege to announce our first artists for this year’s Yasalam After-Race Concerts and we look forward to welcoming rock and roll legends Foo Fighters, international icon Tiësto and pop powerhouse Ava Max at Yas Island in November to celebrate the 15th edition of the Abu Dhabi GP weekend,” says Ethara CEO Saif Rashid Al Noaimi.
“As our new name suggests, Ethara is committed to delivering thrilling experiences for our fans and creating memorable moments that matter.”
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