O2 retains naming-rights to The O2 Arena for another decade

Almost a decade ago, The O2 was transformed from a ‘white elephant’ into the world’s most successful music and entertainment venue when Bon Jovi burst onto the stage. On February 23, the venue announced that they’d struck a deal with O2 for them to remain the naming rights partner for another 10 years.

Since The O2’s birth in June 2007, some pretty extraordinary things have been witnessed at this world-class venue, including an epic 21-night consecutive run from the legendary performer Prince and reunion performances from the Spice Girls, Take That and Monty Python.

In that time, The O2’s welcomed 60 million visitors, not only to experience concerts, but also to see King Tutankhamun’s treasures, witness events in the 2012 London Olympics, catch a movie at the 11-screen multiplex, or simply grab a bite or a drink at one of over 26 bars and restaurants. Many daring visitors have even taken the action outside by walking over the top of the structure with ‘Up at The O2’.

YouTube video, courtesy: The O2 / AEG

Looking forward

Over the next 10 years, the venue is going ‘BIG’ with customer experiences, including even more early-access Priority Tickets for O2 customers and a 205,00 square-foot designer outlet (opening in 2018).

The O2 will also be installing ground-breaking technology, which will give concert-goers an immersive experience that they can re-live and even share with their friends on social media. Exciting times lay ahead.

As The O2 is 10 years old, and is celebrating another 10 years to come, here are 10 fun facts from the venue’s website:

1. The tent structure of The O2, which is the world’s largest fabric structure, is visible from space
2. In 2014, 13,551 burritos and 49,105 portions of chips were bought at The O2
3. In 2015, 603,398 pints and 209,913 bottles of beer were sold
4. It would take 3.8 million pints to fill The O2 with beer
5. 36 million people have travelled to The O2 using the tube
6. Before Bon Jovi played the opening night, The O2 was put through its paces with a special event for O2 staff and their guests. Named ‘The O2 Premiere’, the gig featured performances from Peter Kay, Kaiser Chiefs, Tom Jones and Basement Jaxx
7. In 2013, The O2 hosted Campus Party Europe – the world’s largest technology event – which welcomed around 10,000 guests and featured appearances from some of the world’s leading technological minds, such as Vint Cerf, (one of the Internet’s founding fathers) and Noland Bushnell, who created Atari. Robosapien even showed up. Some 1,600 tents were erected and The O2 was home – for a week – to 3,000 attendees who stayed and geeked out 24/7
8. If you laid the Eiffel Tower on its side, it would fit inside The O2
9. In the summer of 2012, The O2 was briefly renamed ‘The North Greenwich Arena’ during the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games
   
10. A special award – the 21 Club key – is presented to artists who have performed 21 nights at The O2. The 21 Club’s inaugural member was Prince, who has since been joined by One Direction, Michael McIntyre and Take That among others

Image, courtesy: http://orchestraforanewcentury.com/?p=72

Source: The O2 website

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