This long-term partnership rights will take effect from mid-2027 at Asia’s top live performance venues, providing a comprehensive platform for brand exposure and consumer interaction, helping brands deeply connect with core audiences and enhance their influence in the Asian market.
ShanghaiJune 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Oriental Pearl Anschutz Cultural and Sports Development (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. officially announced the launch of a global recruitment for a new long-term strategic partner for the Mercedes-Benz Arena (with a capacity of 18,000 spectators). This Shanghai venue is operated by a joint venture formed by Oriental Pearl New Media Co., Ltd., AEG Entertainment Group of the United States, and NBA China. This recruitment will leverage the core resources of the three parties to create a partnership ecosystem that combines influence and commercial value for the brand, sharing in the development dividends of China’s live performance market.
After 17 years of collaboration, the existing naming rights agreement for the Mercedes-Benz Arena is set to officially expire in mid-2027. This opportunity will present a milestone partnership opportunity for major brands: by securing a long-term, high-end naming partnership with this top-tier Asian live performance landmark, brands can further enhance their market position and influence in Asia, achieving a dual boost in brand value and commercial benefits.
As a landmark cultural and entertainment venue in China, the Mercedes-Benz Arena is at the core of the development of China’s live performance industry, maintaining rapid commercial growth and establishing itself as a proven high-end commercial partnership platform. Since its opening in 2010, the venue has successfully hosted over a thousand high-quality performances and sports events, featuring top domestic and international artists such as Jay Chou, Andy Lau, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and Justin Bieber, as well as major sports events like the NBA China Games. It has consistently ranked among the top similar venues in China in terms of cumulative audience numbers, continuously driving regional cultural and tourism consumption trends.
Leveraging the resource advantages of the joint venture’s three shareholders, this top-tier naming partnership will go beyond traditional models. In addition to the core venue naming rights, it can offer customized brand solutions, including comprehensive brand exposure, ticket integration, content co-creation, VIP privileges, and deep user interaction. This one-stop integrated package will help brands forge deep emotional connections with millions of viewers, enabling precise marketing and brand value enhancement.
Song Jiongming, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice President, and President of Shanghai Media Group (SMG), and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Oriental Pearl New Media Co., Ltd., stated: “Top-tier venue naming rights are a scarce, long-term milestone resource rarely available on the market. As a state-owned cultural media flagship rooted in Shanghai, Oriental Pearl, in partnership with AEG, operates this premier Asian venue through the joint venture. This recruitment will create a unique partnership opportunity for brands—not only offering traditional brand exposure but also enabling customized deep collaboration to co-shape the future of the live entertainment industry, enhance audience experiences, and deliver tangible commercial value and deep contextual value for the brand.”
Mike Seah, General Manager of the Mercedes-Benz Arena, said: “Currently, demand for live entertainment in the Asia-Pacific region is at an all-time high. Globally, China’s performance market is on a fast track of rapid growth and is one of the most active regions for live consumption. In recent years, the venue has achieved consecutive years of commercial growth with strong momentum. Brands can leverage this sustained market demand to precisely reach core audiences and comprehensively upgrade the offline audience experience, offering immense commercial potential. We are also very much looking forward to partnering with a new collaborator to open a new chapter in the venue’s development.”
According to the latest industry research report “The Live Effect” by AEG Global Partnerships, such venue naming partnerships offer strong marketing value. In the first year of collaboration, they can achieve a 30% increase in brand consideration, a 29% increase in brand favorability, and a 35% increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS), laying a solid foundation for long-term brand development.
The new naming partner will officially become part of AEG’s global premier sponsorship portfolio. This portfolio includes landmark venues such as The O2 in London, Uber Arena in Berlin, UOB Live in Bangkok, and IG Arena in Nagoya, and features a roster of global heavyweight sponsors like American Express, PepsiCo, and Nestlé, creating strong synergies. These diverse strategic collaborations worldwide will provide solid support for the long-term operation and brand value of AEG’s flagship venues. Additionally, as a joint venture shareholder, Oriental Pearl (OPG) boasts a powerful matrix of cultural tourism landmarks, including iconic Shanghai and China landmarks such as the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower, Shanghai International Convention Center, and Oriental Land. Backed by Shanghai Media Group, a leading institution in China’s cultural media industry, this will offer the partnering brand deep penetration into local cultural tourism scenarios and multi-channel media exposure, achieving a dual empowerment of “global resources + local roots.”
Editor’s Note
*”The Live Effect” is an industry research report published by AEG Global Partnerships in September 2025. For details, visit: https://www.aeggp.com/press/the-live-effect