M&S Bank has announced that it will become the official naming partner of the Liverpool Arena, early in 2019. The new partnership will see Liverpool’s number one venue for music, comedy and events, renamed the M&S Bank Arena.
The Liverpool Echo, the city’s daily newspaper, will continue its 10-year partnership with the arena as a key business partner.
Sue Fox, CEO of M&S Bank said: “M&S Bank has been based in the North West since the business was formed in 1985, it has continued to evolve over this time to the full service bank it is today and our past, present and future are firmly rooted in the region.
“We’re very much committed to supporting our local community and over the last 10 years we’ve seen the Arena bring a phenomenal breadth of entertainment and cultural events to the city of Liverpool, it has also delivered fantastic economic benefits to the city and the wider region. We’re extremely delighted to be a part of something incredibly special and look forward to the launch of the M&S Bank Arena early in 2019.”
Carl Wood, Regional Managing Director of the ECHO and Reach PLC North West and North Wales said: “The ECHO has had an amazing 10-year association with ACC Liverpool and we feel very proud to have played a key role and supported what has become such a success for our city, our region and for the arena, convention and exhibition industry.
“We are also very pleased to announce that we will remain a key business partner of ACC Liverpool and will continue to be part of this incredible success story. We are delighted to welcome M&S Bank as the new naming partner and wish them every success for the future.”
ECHO editor Ali Machray added: “We are proud to have helped create something that all of Liverpool has taken to its heart.
“The last 10 years have seen the Arena become an iconic venue. In that time the city has enjoyed spectacular growth and The Echo has powered ahead in digital media to underline its position among the best-known and most powerful regional media brands in the world.
“We will work closely with ACC Liverpool and M&S Bank to ensure the next ten years are as thrilling and successful as the last.”
Bob Prattey, CEO of The ACC Liverpool Group, which includes the Arena, Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Convention Centre, said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce the launch of the M&S Bank Arena. It’s a fantastic way to conclude a phenomenal year that has seen us mark 10 years since the Arena first opened its doors.
“M&S Bank is one of the UK’s leading challenger banks, with a long-established history in the region. The business shares our passion for the city of Liverpool, making it the perfect naming partner for the Arena, complementing the great partnership we already have in place with the Liverpool Echo which will continue as a key business partner.”
The Arena has hosted over 1,200 performances since it first opened its doors in 2008. Entertainment highlights have included the European MTV Awards, the Davis Cup, Sir Paul McCartney, the MOBO Awards and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, which returned for the second time in December 2017.
The venue has welcomed 5.6 million visitors since opening and the ACC Liverpool campus, also home to the Convention Centre and Exhibition Centre Liverpool, has generated £1.6billion in economic benefit for the Liverpool city region.
