AEG Global Partnerships seeks naming rights deals
AEG Global Partnerships is searching for naming rights partners for its new venue at Olympia in London.
Set to open in summer 2025, the 4,000-cap West London venue will form the centrepiece of the £1.3 billion (€1.55bn) redevelopment of the 14-acre Olympia Estate.
The venue, which will be located above the existing west exhibition hall, will be operated by AEG, which signed a ‘long-term agreement’ with owners Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International who acquired Olympia in 2017 for €330 million.
In addition, the team – the partnerships arm of AEG Europe – is also seeking a partner for the Hammersmith Apollo, with its current naming rights partnership with Eventim expiring at the end of the year.
“Since the pandemic, brands have been keen to get back in front of consumers, and build truly long-lasting relationships based on mutual benefits and trust”
“Since the pandemic, brands have been keen to get back in front of consumers, and build truly long-lasting relationships based on mutual benefits and trust,” says Paul Samuels, EVP of AEG Global Partnerships. “Sponsored events are rated the preferred media channel among consumers, according to the 2023 Kantar Media Reactions survey, because unlike an advert that lasts just seconds, an event lasts hours, giving brands longer to engage with fans and – better still – enhance their experience.”
The new naming rights partners will join Qatar Airways, IG Group and Uber, who have all joined the ranks since the beginning of 2024.
“We’ve started working with more than 110 new partners in the past 12 months, and now we’re looking for two ambitious brands who want to take on the naming rights to two world-class venues,” adds Samuels. “In addition to the obvious perks of being a naming rights partner, wider activations can help to achieve a range of objectives, from increasing consideration and rewarding loyal customers, to meeting sustainability objectives.”
Along with naming rights partners, AEG Global Partnerships is seeking category partners who will be able to elevate the experiences of those visiting the venue.
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AEG Global Partnerships seals APAC venue link-ups
AEG Global Partnerships has secured new link-ups with IG Group, Bacardi and Volvo at its live events venues in Japan and Thailand.
IG Group has taken the naming rights for the new 17,000-seat arena currently under construction in Nagoya Japan, which will now be known as the IG Arena.
The 10-year deal between IG Group, the Aichi International Arena Company and AEG Global Partnerships is one of the largest-ever naming rights agreements in the APAC region. It comes just six months after AEG joined forces with The EM District and UOB to seal a similar deal for new Thailand live entertainment venue UOB Live, which opens this weekend.
Bacardi and Volvo have also signed deals to become the first founding partners at UOB Live, with both to have a large-scale brand presence and partnerships across the venue, with Bacardi becoming the exclusive beverage partner and Volvo becoming the exclusive automotive partner.
“We are proud to align UOB LIVE with two of the world’s most iconic, global brands – Bacardi and Volvo, each of which is best-in-class in their respective industries,” adds says Grossarth, general manager of UOB LIVE. “Their commitment to excellence matches ours and will help us amplify the world-class experiences that our guests can expect when they visit our venue.”
“Together, we will be able to enhance fans’ world-class experiences at our state-of-the-art venues, while offering opportunities for brands”
UOB LIVE launches on Sunday (11 February) with a specially tailored one-night-only concert produced and performed by Ed Sheeran. The venue, which promises to “reshape the live entertainment landscape” in the region, will be located at The Emsphere shopping mall in Bangkok and will be managed by ASM Global.
“IG Group, Bacardi and Volvo are all world leaders in their respective industries, and their commitment to excellence matches our own,” says Matthew Zweck, AEG Global Partnerships VP – Asia-Pacific. “Together, we will be able to enhance fans’ world-class experiences at our state-of-the-art venues, while offering opportunities for brands to excite, engage and reward both existing and prospective customers.”
Over the past 12 months, AEG Global Partnerships has signed new agreements across Japan, China, Thailand and Singapore worth $100 million – and growth is expected to continue throughout 2024 and into 2025. Further new AEG venues are already under construction in Osaka, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea, with AEG Global Partnerships poised to extend further naming rights and sponsorship agreements.
“The live entertainment industry in the APAC region is going from strength to strength and, as part of AEG, we can offer unrivalled naming rights and venue partnership opportunities at some of the best venues in the world,” says AEG Global Partnerships EVP Paul Samuels. “We are constantly reimagining partnerships, creating bespoke, integrated strategies designed to meet brands’ objectives, while enhancing fans’ experiences at some of the world’s leading venues.”
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Uber and AEG Europe seal Berlin venue partnership
Uber and AEG Europe have inked the largest naming rights partnership in Germany.
The companies have agreed a long-term deal for AEG’s two venues in Berlin-Friedrichshain, as well as the surrounding entertainment district.
From 22 March, Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena and Verti Music Hall will be renamed Uber Arena and Uber Eats Music Hall, respectively – alongside the adjacent restaurants, cinema and bowling alley that make up Uber Platz (currently Mercedes Platz) – in a first-of-its-kind deal in the market.
“In Uber we have gained an innovative, globally renowned brand, who like AEG Europe, are passionate about creating a best-in-class customer journey and guest experience,” says Paul Samuels, EVP for AEG Global Partnerships. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Uber and look forward to opening the doors of the Uber Arena and Uber Eats Music Hall for the first time in an official capacity on 22 March, yet also extend our appreciation to Mercedes-Benz and Verti, whom Uber succeeds as naming rights partner, for their collaboration over the past eight and six years respectively.”
“This one-of-a-kind investment is a big testament to our commitment to German cities and in particular to Berlin’s art, culture and sports scene”
Attracting 1.5 million visitors a year, the Uber Arena (cap. 17,000) opened in 2008 and was recently ranked the second highest-grossing arena in the world. The neighbouring Arthur Award-nominated 4,350-capacity Verti Music Hall, meanwhile, launched in 2018.
“We couldn’t hope for a better way to celebrate Uber’s 10th anniversary in Germany,” adds Uber Germany head Christoph Weigler. “This one-of-a-kind investment is a big testament to our commitment to German cities and in particular to Berlin’s art, culture and sports scene.”
The Mercedes-Benz brand will be staying on board as a partner of the Uber Arena in a more general capacity. While specific plans will be announced in the coming months, Uber – in close partnership with AEG Europe – is aiming to elevate guest experience at all levels, from transport arrival and departure, as well as bringing innovative new food and beverage ordering options to events.
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