British Airways announced as naming rights partner for new Olympia music venue

AEG Global Partnerships, the sponsorship division of AEG, has secured British Airways as the naming rights partner for its new 3,800-capacity venue at the transformed Olympia destination in London. The venue will be called British Airways ARC.

British Airways ARC will be a purpose-built live music and event space when it launches in 2026. As part of the multi-year, multi-million-pound partnership, British Airways will have the naming rights for British Airways ARC, but also the naming rights of a new purpose-built theatre, the British Airways Theatre. These will form part of a broader Founding Partnership with Olympia, which is in the final stages of a £1.3bn transformation from heritage event venue to entertainment and culture destination.

In addition to British Airways ARC, the British Airways Theatre, and heritage halls, the reimagined Olympia dedicates 2.5 acres of new public space that will offer a year-round programme of events. There will also be two hotels and 30 bars, restaurants and eateries.

Research has shown that naming rights partners like British Airways can benefit from a 30% increase in consideration after the first year. In addition, half of fans (49%) will have made purchase decisions as a direct result of a brand’s association with a live entertainment event or venue according to AEG's Live Effect research.