Ed Sheeran headlines Thailand’s UOB Live opening
A special one-night-only concert by Ed Sheeran launched the new UOB Live venue in Thailand on Sunday (11 February).
Managed by ASM Global, the 6,000-cap venue promises to “reshape the live entertainment landscape” in the region and is located on the sixth floor of The Emsphere shopping mall in Bangkok.
The intimate performance followed Sheeran’s sold-out + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) Tour stop at Bangkok’s Rajamangala National Stadium the previous evening.
“This event truly showcased the potential of our venue to deliver exceptional experiences for both artists and audiences”
“We are thrilled with the success of Ed Sheeran’s exclusive concert at UOB Live,” says Craig Grossarth, general manager of UOB Live. “This event truly showcased the potential of our venue to deliver exceptional experiences for both artists and audiences. We look forward to welcoming many more iconic acts to UOB Live in the future.”
Upcoming concerts at the theatre include Slot Machine, Tom Jones, Jeff Satur and Radwimps.
AEG Global Partnerships brokered a naming rights partnership for the venue with The EM District and UOB last summer. The EM District is a renowned developer of premier retail and entertainment complexes in Thailand, while UOB is a leading bank in Asia.
“This is a transformative partnership that will usher in a new era of entertainment”
“This is a transformative partnership that will usher in a new era of entertainment,” said AEG Asia Pacific president and CEO Adam Wilkes at the time. “UOB Live symbolises the future, offering guests unparalleled live experiences. Our partnership with UOB and The EM District signifies a significant step forward in delivering world-class events and unforgettable moments to audiences in Thailand and beyond.”
Bacardi and Volvo have also signed deals to become the first founding partners, 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.
AEG also secured a 10-year deal between IG Group and the Aichi International Arena Company for IG Group to take the naming rights for the new 17,000-seat arena currently under construction in Nagoya Japan, which will be known as the IG Arena. The partnership is one of the largest-ever naming rights agreements in the APAC region.
As part of the Asia leg of his tour, Sheeran will play another intimate gig at the 1,000-cap Capitol Theatre in Singapore on 17 February – a day after his show at Singapore National Stadium.
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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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AEG unveils naming rights deal for Bangkok venue
AEG has joined forces with The EM District and UOB to seal a naming rights partnership for a new 6,000-cap venue in Thailand.
UOB Live, 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, with a remit to attract leading international performers and sporting events to the country.
The EM District is a renowned developer of premier retail and entertainment complexes in Thailand, while UOB is a leading bank in Asia.
“This is a transformative partnership that will usher in a new era of entertainment,” says AEG Asia Pacific president and CEO Adam Wilkes. “UOB Live symbolises the future, offering guests unparalleled live experiences. Our partnership with UOB and The EM District signifies a significant step forward in delivering world-class events and unforgettable moments to audiences in Thailand and beyond.
“We want to thank The Mall Group, The EM District and AEG’s Global Partnership team for their collaboration on this historic agreement which will have a significant impact on the live industry.”
“With AEG’s global expertise and The EM District’s leadership position in the local market, we will redefine the entertainment landscape in Southeast Asia”
The naming rights deal was brokered by AEG Global Partnerships. Further details about UOB Live’s offerings, including its grand opening date, will be announced in the coming months.
“UOB Live marks a significant leap in transforming live entertainment for our customers,” says Tan Choon Hin, president and CEO of UOB Thailand. “With AEG’s global expertise and The EM District’s leadership position in the local market, we will redefine the entertainment landscape in Southeast Asia.
“UOB Live goes beyond a mere venue; it will serve as an immersive platform, uniting diverse communities through the universal language of entertainment. UOB strives to provide an unparalleled customer experience that caters to different preferences and lifestyles, and UOB Live will be the bank’s latest embodiment of this. Through this first-of-its-kind partnership, we are confident that our customers, both in Thailand and across the region, will be able to enjoy a retail and entertainment experience that is unmatched anywhere else.
“More importantly, UOB Live exemplifies our commitment to the Kingdom of Thailand. As a bank with deep-rooted ties to ASEAN, we believe in the need to contribute to the development of the economies we operate in. UOB Live will serve as a beacon of innovation and culture, resonating both locally and across the region.”
“This partnership with AEG and UOB underlines our shared commitment to innovation, creativity, and excellence”
Supaluck Umpujh, chair of The Mall Group and The EM District, adds: “The EM District together with UOB and AEG are joining forces with the shared vision of revolutionising the country’s business, retail and entertainment centres, placing Bangkok and Thailand at the forefront of world retail innovation, entertainment events, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) and new lifestyle experiences,
“UOB Live, along with The Emsphere’s retail experiences from world renowned brands, prominent dining experiences, multi-cultural and entertainment complexes with world-class facilities, is set to establish new standards for the regional live entertainment scene.
“It’s an integral component of our EM District vision, which centres around curating exceptional experiences in retail, entertainment, and lifestyle within a single location. This partnership with AEG and UOB underlines our shared commitment to innovation, creativity, and excellence.”
Read more about Thailand’s live entertainment ambitions in the 2023 Global Arena Guide, out now.
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