NEC Group Arenas and Free Radio Extend Partnership

NEC Group – Resorts World Arena
One of two NEC Group arenas in Birminham

NEC Group Arenas has announced that Arena Birmingham and Resorts World Arena, formerly Genting Arena, are continuing their partnership with Free Radio for a further two years.

 

Free Radio is part of the Bauer Media Group and will carry on as the arenas’ official media partner at least until the end of 2020. The agreement includes in-venue branding and activation opportunities, plus the rights to broadcast live radio content from inside both arenas.

 

The announcement follows the Free Radio Live event in at Resorts World Arena in November, which featured Olly Murs, Paloma Faith, Clean Bandit, Years & Years, Anne Marie, James Arthur, Bebe Rexha, Rudimental and more on the lineup. 

The event will return in 2019, marking the 10th year running at the arena, and it’s going to expand to a second event dubbed Free Radio Hits Live, which will take place in May 4, 2019.

Gareth Lloyd, head of media sponsorship and sales commercial media for NEC Group, said: “It’s fantastic news that Free Radio will continue as our Arenas Radio Partner. This strong partnership was formed back in 2010 and it’s terrific that over the last eight years, our relationship has gone from strength to strength. 

“It’s a testament to how well our two brands work together, and I look forward to the continuing our successful partnership over the next two years.”

 

Julie Halford, Free Radio’s head of marketing said: “We’re delighted to be extending our contract as an official radio partner of the NEC Group Arenas. It certainly feels like a natural fit for both parties as live events and radio go hand in hand.

“We’re able to target over a million of event goers across the arenas and deliver live entertainment to our listeners when world class artists and bands appear on stage. It provides the perfect platform to maintain our position as the most listened-to commercial radio brand in the West Midlands.”

Resorts World Arena was rebranded from Genting Arena last December. Before that the 15,685 capacity arena was known as LG Arena (Oct. 2009-Jan. 2015), NEC Arena (Sept. 1983-Aug. 2008)and Birmingham International Arena (Dec. 1980 -Sept. 1983). It underwent a £29 million redevelopment in 2009