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Wembley Arena gains SSE sponsorship

By | Published on Friday 11 April 2014

SSE Arena Wembley

Right, so from 1 Jun we’re all going to have to stop calling Wembley Arena the Wembley Arena, and instead call it The SSE Arena, Wembley. No, there’s no use arguing, that’s just the way it has to be. AEG, which took over the running of the venue last year, has secured a ten year deal to grant its naming rights to Scottish And Southern Energy.

The benefits of the deal are clear, of course. SSE already sponsors the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, but that’s a long way for people in the south of the UK to travel in order to be reminded of a utilities company they hate while attempting to be entertained. And for AEG, it’s the chance to build on an association with a company that people really don’t like and otherwise has no relation to its core business.

Failing to mention any of that, CEO of AEG Europe Tom Miserendino said of the deal: “Wembley is one of the world’s most iconic venues, steeped in history with some of the greatest artists having performed under its roof. Over the last few years however, the venue landscape in the UK and Europe has changed with many more venues for artists and acts to choose from. This naming rights partnership with SSE enables us to undertake the refurbishments to restore this renowned arena. SSE’s investment in Wembley will further strengthen its offer as a world class entertainment venue and will continue to highly entertain audiences for many more years in the future”.

SSE’s Group Managing Director of Retail, Will Morris added: “We stand out in the market place as the only energy company able to give its customers early access to some of the most in-demand events in the UK. We know entertainment is a key driver for our customers so it makes sense for us to build on our established sponsorship of The SSE Hydro and ensure more customers can take advantage of the great benefits ssereward.com has to offer. With the introduction of The SSE Arena, Wembley, everyone who attends events there, not solely our customers, will benefit from our contribution to the refurbishment and upgrading of the venue”.

He added: “This partnership with a company with the calibre and range of AEG and the range of events being held at The SSE Arena, Wembley means there really will be something to suit all of our customers’ tastes”.

Those are words an actual person said. And probably with a straight face. Imagine.



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