Utilita Arena Birmingham extends sponsorship deal
Utilita Energy and NEC Group have agreed an early extension to their existing multi-year partnership, which includes the naming rights for Utilita Arena Birmingham.
As part of the seven-figure agreement, the Birmingham venue will carry Utilita’s name through to 2030.
The deal will also have a heavy focus on charity and sustainability. In what is believed to be a UK first, the arena has renamed its VIP lounge after the supplier’s partner charity, Utilita Giving, which supports people in food and fuel poverty.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve been able to extend our partnership with Utilita Energy,” says NEC Group Arenas MD Guy Dunstan. “We love working with the team and it’s clear they’re committed to investing in Birmingham.
“Alongside the world-class live music, sport and comedy we stage at Utilita Arena Birmingham, we’re continually looking at ways to make the arena a more enjoyable destination for visitors. We’re all about giving our customers amazing experiences, and with Utilita sharing that vision, we’re looking forward to continuing our partnership for the years ahead.”
“This is far more than just a naming rights deal. We vow to build on the strong foundations we have established in this great city”
Utilita aims to be a net zero business by 2030 and will also work side by side with the venue to support its own sustainability goals.
“This is far more than just a naming rights deal,” says Bill Bullen, CEO and co-founder of Utilita Energy. “We vow to build on the strong foundations we have established in this great city and will continue to educate and inform through our campaigns which have proved crucial to everyday people throughout the cost of living crisis.
“The arena is also a great platform to help Utilita Giving access a wider pool of people who urgently need help out of fuel and food poverty.
“Our main goal as a business is to help consumers make their energy go further, meaning they spend less on their bills, and this will continue to be at the crux of how we give back to the local community here in Birmingham.”
Upcoming concerts at the venue include James Arthur, Jason Derulo, Simple Minds, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Keane, Olivia Rodrigo, Take That, Nickelback, Pet Shop Boys, Jonas Brothers, Kings of Leon, Justin Timberlake and Noah Kahan.
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Green light for ASM-operated Gateshead arena
A brand new 12,500-capacity arena operated by ASM-global is expected to open on Newcastle Gateshead Quays in 2023, following approval from the local planning committee.
The arena is the leading component of Newcastle Gateshead’s £260 million regeneration scheme which will include a conference and exhibition centre, restaurants, a hotel and large areas of ‘outdoor realm’ and performance space on the same site as the arena.
Construction on the complex is expected to start in March 2021 and the project will create around 2,000 new jobs in the region, giving a £60m annual boost to the local economy.
“This ambitious and transformational development will create a genuinely unique events campus with an iconic waterfront location,” says Tom Lynch, director of business development, Europe for ASM Global.
“ASM Global has enjoyed over 25 years of success in the North East and we look forward to leveraging our global and local partnerships with leading entertainment, sports, corporate, convention and exhibition event producers, to cement NewcastleGateshead’s reputation as a sought-after business, leisure and cultural destination.”
“This ambitious and transformational development will create a genuinely unique events campus”
ASM Global also operates the 11,000-capacity Utilita Arena, located in Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead’s twin city.
Martin Gannon, Gateshead council leader says: “We’ve wanted to revitalise this key site for a long time. Our long-term aspiration has always been to bring internationally recognisable facilities of this scale to not just Gateshead but the entire region.
“This project is transformational, and today’s decision signals confidence in the North East. Newcastle Gateshead Quays will be a global leader in entertainment, leisure, and hospitality but most importantly it is about creating new employment and training opportunities for thousands at a time when they are badly needed.”
“Despite the current challenges, we need to remember the worth of the events industry. We look forward to opening the venue late 2023.”
The plans were submitted by Gateshead Council’s development partner Ask:Patrizia, which has appointed Sir Robert McAlpine to build the 54,500 sqm scheme, designed by HOK Architects (Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi).
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Arena Birmingham to become Utilita Arena Birmingham
Arena Birmingham is set to be renamed Utilita Arena Birmingham as a part of a naming-rights deal with UK energy supplier Utilita.
The 15,800-capacity city-centre venue, operated by NEC Group, was formerly known as Barclaycard Arena and has been called Arena Birmingham since 1 September 2017. It is one of two UK arenas managed by NEC Group, along with sister venue Resorts World Arena (formerly Genting Arena), located on the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) site.
Utilita customers will have access to exclusive presales for the arena’s shows, which have recently included Ariana Grande, Take That and Jack Whitehall, while the energy provider also becomes a partner to Resorts World Arena.
Utilita has a growing presence in the UK live business, having sponsored with a number of major music festivals in recent years, including Parklife, Trsnmt, Creamfields, V Festival, Bestival and Camp Bestival, as well as ASM Global’s Utilita Arena Newcastle.
“We’re looking forward to working with Utilita to get our audiences thinking about their environmental footprint”
“Within our venues we’re working hard to have optimum energy usage, and we consider the new Utilita partnership to be an extension of the NEC Group’s award-winning environmental and sustainability commitments,” says NEC Group CEO Paul Thandi CBE.
“The best partners are those who can add value to our visitors, and we’re looking forward to working with Utilita to get our audiences thinking about their environmental footprint.”
The venue will take up its new name on 15 April 2020.
NEC Group, based in Birmingham, UK, recently joined Oak View Group’s International Venue Alliance as its second member.
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ASM Global to operate new £260m venue complex
ASM Global will be the venue management provider for a new £260 million arena, conference and exhibition centre on Gateshead Quays in Newcastle, as the operator further expands its UK footprint.
ASM Global, the result of a merger between SMG Facilities and AEG Facilities today (11 October) cleared by the UK’s Competitions and Markets Authority, has signed a long-term agreement with developer Ask Real Estate and investor Patrizia to operate the 12,500-capacity venue.
It is estimated that the ten-acre Gateshead complex, due to open by 2023, will generate £30m for the economy and attract up to 300,000 new visitors to the region each year. Global architecture firm Hok has been appointed to design to new arena.
“We are thrilled to have selected ASM Global as our operator,” comments Ask Real Estate MD John Hughes.
“ASM Global have a global reputation for excellence and their experience will be key in helping us to develop what will be one of Europe’s key cultural locations”
“They have a global reputation for excellence and their experience will be key in helping us to develop what will be one of Europe’s key cultural locations. We have been working closely with them to ensure the arena will be able to accommodate the rapid advances in sound and production technology.”
ASM Global’s executive vice president for Europe, John Sharkey, says the operator is “delighted to bring to market such an ambitious development”.
“We look forward to building upon the success of the Utilita Arena (11,400-cap.) and Whitley Bay Playhouse (630-cap.), and leveraging our regional strength to further develop the events landscape and grow the north east economy,” says Sharkey.
In addition to its venues in the north east of England, ASM Global’s UK portfolio includes the O2 Arena (20,000-cap.), the SSE Arena, Wembley (12,500-cap.), Manchester Arena (21,000-cap.), the First Direct Arena in Leeds (13,700-cap.), Glasgow’s SSE Hydro Arena (13,000-cap.) and the York Barbican (1,900-cap.).
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Newcastle Arena becomes Utilita Arena
Arena operator SMG Europe has announced that its 11,000-capacity arena in Newcastle, UK, has entered into a naming rights partnership with energy supplier Utilita Energy. The former Metro Radio Arena will now be known as the Utilita Arena.
Utilita Energy currently supports sporting venues, including the football stadiums Villa Park (Aston Villa), Ibrox Stadium (Rangers) and Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace). The company hopes that the partnership with Newcastle Arena will facilitate expansion in the entertainment industry.
“We know just how important this venue is to the north east, so to have our name above the door is an absolute honour,” comments Nic Rhodes, head of brand marketing at Utilita Energy.
“As Utilita continues to grow, our Utilita Extra customer rewards programme becomes increasingly important to us – and the Utilita Arena will play a major role in this. The venue has a brilliant reputation across the UK so we are absolutely delighted be on board.”
The energy supplier takes over from regional radio station Metro Radio as Newcastle Arena’s naming partner. The radio station sponsored the arena for 15 years and will continue to be the official media partner for Utilita Arena.
“We know just how important this venue is to the north east, so to have our name above the door is an absolute honour”
Ailsa Oliver, who became general manager of Newcastle Arena in January 2017, says: “We are thrilled to begin this new phase in the arena’s timeline. I look forward to an extremely dynamic relationship with Utilita Energy and our continued exciting work with Bauer Group Media Metro Radio going from strength to strength.”
Executive vice-president of venue operator SMG Europe, John Sharkey, says he is “delighted” by the appointment of the new naming right partner.
SMG Europe’s arena portfolio includes the Manchester Arena (21,000-cap.), the First Direct Arena in Leeds (13,500-cap.), the SSE Arena, Belfast (11,000-cap.) and the Event Complex Aberdeen (12,500-cap.), due to open this summer.
“The north east has an exceptional community spirit and loyal connection with the Arena. We are excited for all involved to reap the benefits Utilita will now offer not only to guests of the venue but the industry as a whole,” comments Sharkey.
This year, Utilita Arena will welcome artists including Boyzone, George Ezra, Westlife, Rod Stewart, Little Mix and Kiss. The arena is the largest concert and exhibition venue in the north east of England.
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