Features

Wembley taps OVG to expand sponsorship opportunities

Oak View Group, the global venue development, advisory and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries, has been hired by the English Football Association (FA) to expand and diversify sponsorship and content opportunities for London’s Wembley Stadium.

As part of the agreement, OVG will work in partnership with Wembley’s team to drive additional sponsorship, commercial and content opportunities for the 90,000-seat stadium.

As well as serving as the home of the England national team, Wembley hosts domestic cup finals, NFL games and concerts. The partnership has been signed as Wembley celebrates its 100th birthday in 2023, and OVG will work with the stadium team to provide further “history-making moments”.

OVG has also announced a UK-focused partnership with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, who will return to Wembley Stadium for a regular-season game in 2022. Wembley serves as the Jaguars’ ‘home away from home’ and OVG will work with the team to develop UK-based commercial opportunities.

Tim Leiweke, chief executive of OVG, said: “Wembley Stadium is a global icon, known the world over for hosting some of the most historic moments in sport and live music and we are incredibly proud of its addition to the OVG family.

“As venue owners and operators, OVG knows the importance of maximising sponsorship opportunities and delivering a year-round calendar of brilliant events. We look forward to what we know will be an innovative and productive partnership working with the top-flight team at Wembley Stadium and the FA.”

Mark Burrows, chief operating officer at the FA, added: “We’re delighted to partner with Oak View Group, which will open up new and exciting sponsorship and content opportunities for Wembley Stadium. We’re very proud to welcome millions of people to our stadium each year for iconic sporting and music events, and this partnership will help us to build on that and ensure we continue to provide world-class experiences for those who visit.”

OVG’s UK venue portfolio already includes Silverstone, Ascot Racecourse and the Royal Albert Hall. OVG is also developing Co-op Live, a new 23,500-seat arena in Manchester.

Outside of the UK, OVG operates Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena and New York’s UBS Arena, while it also works with The National Stadium at Singapore Sports Hub, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.

Image: Oak View Group