Christopher BarrettSheffield Arena has been rebranded Utilita Arena Sheffield as part of a five-year naming rights deal between the power supplier and the venue’s operators Sheffield City Trust (SCT). The deal is understood to be worth a seven-figure sum.
Formerly a Live Nation Entertainment (LNE) run venue, the 13,600-capacity arena is owned by Sheffield City Council. Until September 2020 it was branded the FlyDSA Arena, following a naming rights partnership with Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) in 2018. Since it opened in 1991 the arena has also been known as Motorpoint Arena and Hallam FM Arena.
The new deal means the energy supplier currently has naming rights deals with three major UK arenas, having forged partnerships with NEC for Utilita Arena Birmingham (15,800) and ASM Global for the Utilita Arena Newcastle (11,000) in recent years. Utilita, which says it has 830,000 UK customers, has also previously partnered with LNE on UK festivals including Camp Bestival, TRNSMT, Creamfields, V and Parklife.
Utilita’s chief marketing officer Jem Maidment said the company wanted to do far more than just have its name above the venue’s door, and will work on energy efficiency campaigns including sustainability lessons in schools, while supporting local charities.
“We have exciting plans and a huge desire to play an active role as the arena enters its fourth decade,” he said. “It’s been an horrendous past 18 months or so and I’m sure nobody will ever take live entertainment for granted again – now we are ready to party.”
SCT head of live events Dom Stokes said that after the Covid-19 lockdown and more than 400,000 people having been vaccinated in the venue over the past year, it was time to “put smiles on faces and put on some of the biggest shows and events”.
The first major music event since March 2020 at the arena will a homecoming gig by Bring Me The Horizon on 24 September.