Financial services company First Direct has reached an agreement to continue sponsoring a multi-purpose arena in Leeds, England.
The company has held naming rights to the First Direct Arena since it opened in 2013, and the facility will retain its name until at least 2023 as part of the new agreement.
Since the venue opened, First Direct has worked with operator SMG Europe to reward its customers with a number of unique benefits, including pre-sale access to tickets, complimentary tickets and an exclusive entrance.
The arena said the new agreement would see the two parties work even more closely to bring benefits to their respective customers.
First Direct Arena has staged a wide range of music concerts since opening, and has also hosted a number of comedy gigs and other performances.
Sports events that have been held at the arena include Premier League Darts meetings, WWE wrestling bouts and boxing matches. First Direct Arena also hosted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2013.
Joe Gordon, head of First Direct, said: “The reaction of our customers to our association with the arena has been outstanding and we’re delighted to be able to commit to an additional five years and begin planning the exciting years of partnership to come. Other banks have branches, but we have an arena!”
John Sharkey, chief executive of SMG Europe, added: “The First Direct Arena is our flagship venue and we wanted a sponsor that matched our ambitions for it. First Direct and SMG Europe share a passion for customer service, innovation and pushing boundaries and as such, it’s a perfect fit. We are delighted to announce this extension and we’re looking to really build on the already strong foundations in place.”
Other perks afforded to First Direct customers include free food and beverages. Full details of customer offers can be found here.
Share this