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OVO Energy Becomes Naming Rights Sponsor For Wembley Arena
– A familiar entrance has received a new name.
London’s famous arena will be known as the OVO Arena Wembley going forward.
Wembley Arena in London, England, today unveiled its new naming rights partner, OVO Energy, one of the UK’s largest energy suppliers. OVO Group purchased the energy services business of SSE, the building’s former naming partner, in January 2020.
The 12,500-capacity arena is operated by ASM Global, who expect to welcome around one million visitors over the course of 2022. A very small selection of confirmed 2022 concerts includes 50 Cent (June 10), Armin Van Buuren (April 15) and Sigrid (Nov. 12), as well as UK artists including KSI (Feb. 25), The Cure (Dec. 11-13) and Anne-Marie (May 11).
OVO Arena Wembley will continue to develop its sustainability credentials with the goal of achieving “Greener Arena Certification,” a rigorous, independent certification process developed by A Greener Festival.
Joseph Okpako/WireImage – James Blunt at the OVO Arena Wembley, Feb. 5, 2022.
The arena’s 2022 events calendar is packed.
Buildings aiming to achieve the certification need to provide external verification that carbon reduction and transition strategies are at the heart of all venue operations, from catering to materials used and circularity.
According to the press release announcing Wembley Arena’s new naming rights partner, “the development and implementation of these sustainable strategies at the OVO Arena Wembley will be backed and bolstered by social responsibility platform ASM Global Acts, which pledges the venue operator’s commitment to protecting the environment.”
OVO’s head of sponsorship & partnerships, Colin Banks, commented, “At OVO, we’re committed to establishing purposeful partnerships which reflect our commitment to make zero carbon living a reality – not just in the home, but in the things we love doing too, whether that be going to a gig or comedy show.
“That’s why we share in the OVO Arena Wembley’s ambition to help live entertainment in becoming more sustainable. It’ll take time, but together, we want to identify meaningful ways through which to make lower-impact live events a headline act in their own right and working with A Greener Festival represents a very positive step on that journey.”
– OVO Arena Wembley.
Logo.
John Drury, VP & GM at OVO Arena Wembley, added, “ASM Global is delighted to support OVO Energy on the renaming of OVO Arena Wembley. The live entertainment industry has endured a challenging couple of years, but ASM Global is now looking forward to a bumper schedule of events across 2022.
“As we look to welcome more fans than ever before, we’re working hard to manage the environmental footprint of our operation – one show at a time. This partnership between OVO Energy and ASM Global means that our brilliant events will be aligned with our shared desire for a carbon-free future.”
ASM Global’s EVP Europe, Chris Bray, added, “ASM Global is committed to providing sustainable solutions and initiatives across our portfolio of venues around the world. Our social responsibility platform, ASM Global Acts pledges our longstanding commitment to protecting the environment as we work towards ‘Greener Arena Certification’ in all ASM Global venues. We are pleased, therefore, to continue our relationship with OVO Energy, a brand which shares our vision for greener strategies in the live events industry.
“Alongside the OVO Energy team at Wembley, we are excited to see how we can continue to work together to develop and collaborate on our ongoing sustainability strategies. Together, we aim to continue to ensure this iconic London concert and events venue remains a world class experience whilst developing it into one of the most sustainable arenas in the world.”
Georgina Iceton, VP activations at AEG Global Partnerships, said, “We’re thrilled to support our partner, OVO Energy, on their renaming of such a legendary venue in London. As part of the rebrand, it was important for AEG, ASM Global and OVO, that we had a zero waste to landfill policy, so our priority from the offset, was to source from new suppliers who would deliver the most sustainable materials on the market.”
“The initiatives, through all aspects of this progressive project, were underpinned by AEG’s drive for meaningful partnerships that support goals of both the venue and partner. Through the work we establish with A Greener Festival, we will be able to implement new solutions for this legendary building which will see even greater energy efficiencies across the venue.”