AEG Sells Stockholm Naming Rights

One of Europe’s leading telecom operators has purchased naming rights for the new arena expected to open in Stockholm in the middle of 2013.

Financial details were not disclosed for the 10-year deal with the locally based Tele2. AEG has the contract to operate the new building, which is part of the complex at Stockholm Globe.

Tele2 is a telecommunications operator with about 34 million customers in 11 countries, including Sweden, Germany and Russia.

In the last four years the company has focused on the Nordic region and Eastern Europe, selling off its interests in telecom companies based in Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland and Switzerland.

“We’re going to take the arena experience to the next level by creating innovative, interesting mobile content for the arena’s visitors,” says Tele2 Sweden chief exec Thomas Ekman.

Rod O’Connor, European vice president for AEG Facilities, says linking with Tele2 will enable the arena to provide Swedish audiences with “access to iconic, global artists and acts.”

The 30,000-capacity arena will be part of the complex that currently includes the 16,000-capacity Globe, the 8,300-capacity Hovet Arena and the 3,500-capacity Annex Arena.

It will also be home to Hammarby and Djurgården, two of Stockholm’s major soccer teams. It’s being built to replace the 43-year-old Söderstadion and estimated to cost about $400 million.

The 16,000-capacity Söder Stadium is being demolished to make way for a residential development.

“It’s a lot of money but it’s going to be a fantastic arena,” Hammarby chief exec Henrik Appelqvist told Aftonbladet newspaper when the new build was confirmed.

The new arena also has a retractable roof, which allows for events year-round.