The Wembley Arena will be rebranded as part of a £15m sponsorship and naming rights deal. SSE Energy has signed a ten-year deal with the London venue. As of 1 June, Wembley Arena will be renamed The SSE Arena, Wembley.

However, SSE Energy, one of the big six energy companies, may struggle to get its name associated with the property (an issue discussed in Communicate’s February issue in light of news that Barclays would be terminating its sponsorship of London’s cycle hire scheme). Since Wembley Arena has been running under the same name for a long time it is likely that the new name will not be immediately adopted by the public and media.

The venue is currently run by live US music company, AEG. "Wembley is one of the world's most iconic venues, steeped in history, with some of the greatest artists having performed under its roof," says Tom Miserendino, chief executive of AEG Europe. "Over the last few years, however, the venue landscape in the UK and Europe has changed, with many more venues for artists and acts to choose from. This naming-rights partnership with SSE enables us to undertake the refurbishments to restore this renowned arena."

SSE currently works with AEG as title sponsors of Glasgow venue, The SSE Hydro. AEG also manages the O2 Arena and holds the contract for outdoor concerts in Hyde Park.