Features
Birmingham Arena Enters Into Naming Rights Agreement With BP
Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena will be renamed bp pulse LIVE as part of a new sponsorship agreement between the NEC Group and bp pulse, effective Sept. 1, 2024.
The new naming rights sponsor is “one of the UK’s leading rapid and ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging networks,” according to a press release announcing the new sponsorship agreement.
Since September last year, the arena’s operator NEC Group, bp, and the UK’s EV Network, a developer and investment company in electric vehicle infrastructure, have been operating a so-called bp pulse Gigahub at the NEC campus, which allows 180 electric vehicles to be charged simultaneously.
“The deal expands bp pulse’s relationships in the live music events industry, which already include its sponsorship of community music charity, Music Workshop, and title sponsorship of CarFest, the UK’s largest family fundraising festival founded by [English TV and radio presenter] Chris Evans,” according to the press release.
The Beat Of The Brum: Birmingham Is Buzzing
Resorts World Arena, which has a maximum capacity for 15,600 guests, is one of the UK’s busiest arenas. In Pollstar’s inaugural UK Focus, the building ranked sixth, with 335,365 tickets sold, and $26,404,133 grossed in the reporting period 4/1/23 to 3/31/24.
More recent highlights from the Pollstar Boxoffice for the soon-to-be named bp pulse Live include André Rieu, who sold out 11,722 available seats for a $1,265,947 gross on May 17; and Eric Clapton, selling 10,132 tickets, and grossing $1,180,569 on May 13.
See: NEC Birmingham Commits To Festivals
Commenting on the new partnership, NEC Group CEO Melanie Smith said, “We are delighted to partner with the innovative bp pulse, providing electrifying experiences in the venue as well as supporting audiences to make the transition to electric vehicles. The best partners are those who can add value for the millions of live-event fans that walk through our doors each year, so we can’t wait to start working with bp pulse.”
Elen Macaskill, chief customer officer at bp pulse, added, “We are excited by our thrilling new partnership and to add our name to such a prestigious music venue. Our focus at bp pulse is on delivering convenient and reliable EV charging for customers. By teaming up with a well-known arena at the heart of the UK, we aim to raise awareness of our brand and confidence in EV charging, given how conveniently close it is to our EV charging Gigahub™.”
Vince Williams, marketing director for Resorts World Birmingham, said, “As the Arena takes on a new headline partner in bp pulse LIVE we wish them every success and also look forward to continuing our relationship and affiliation with NEC Group. Enjoying a position adjacent to the Arena, we look forward to playing our part in the exciting developments for the NEC in the years to come.”