In its capacity as Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia’s (Stadium Corporation Malaysia) commercial sponsorship consultant, TSA has secured the first naming rights partnership for the new KL Sports City development.
Asian telecommunications group Axiata has come onboard as the naming rights partner for the Putra Indoor Stadium – the indoor stadium in KL Sports City. The venue will be renamed Axiata Arena when it reopens in July 2017.
Currently undergoing extensive upgrading works, the multipurpose indoor arena will become a fully integrated and high connectivity venue for sports, entertainment and culture. The venue’s management has benchmarked the upgraded venue against international destination venues such as the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California; The O2 Arena in London, UK; and the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. The Putra Indoor Stadium will host the KL 2017 SEA Games in August 2017 and will be the country’s leading destination for major music and sports events.
Khairy Jamaluddin, minister of youth and sports, announced the country’s first naming rights partnership: “The partnership between Axiata and Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia is geared toward benefiting Malaysia in promoting Kuala Lumpur as a regional sports, entertainment and cultural hub, attracting global talent, connecting communities and creating employment opportunities while showcasing the nation’s strong digital assets and infrastructure.
“Axiata Arena will be a focal point of national and regional attention as we host the SEA Games and the Para Games this year. The venue will also be the epicenter of creating a vibrant and active nation, in line with the Transformasi Nasional 50 (TN50) initiative and will support the government’s initiative to create a ‘Sporting Nation'”.
Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, Axiata’s chief executive officer, Axiata Group Berhad, said, “For Axiata, this partnership meets three objectives for the group. Firstly, this is yet another step in our commitment to national contribution which follows our other sponsorships such as the Celcom Axiata Malaysian Open and, in the past, the Axiata Cup. Secondly, as a leading regional brand, the naming of Axiata Arena will augment our international branding to a worldwide audience especially given the upcoming SEA Games and many more international events to be held there. Lastly, the venue will be the testbed and launchpad for Axiata and Celcom’s latest technologies and digital services with the use of apps and online applications for services, sales and real-time information – making the arena one of the most digitally advanced sporting and entertainment venues, equal to the very best globally.”
TSA group CEO Marcus Luer added, “We are very excited to start 2017 with such a big announcement. A lot of hard work has gone into this project and I am very happy to see the Axiata Logo on the building. I want to thank the minister for his confidence in us and Tan Sri for his support over the years. I have no doubt that this great project will set a new benchmark in branding and venue marketing in the country.”
Phase one of the KL Sports City project will be completed in time for the SEA games in August 2017 which would include the National Stadium, Putra Stadium, the National Aquatic Centre and National Hockey Stadium with improved integration to the current public transportation. Phase two will see the completion of KL Sports City, consisting of world-class facilities including a shopping mall, convention center and hotel.
January 18, 2017
