Birmingham's Barclaycard Arena to be renamed

September 1 will see the city centre venue renamed Arena Birmingham in what owners say is 'a move to a brand that reflects the venue’s location'.

Barclaycard, the multinational credit card and payment service provider, announced in 2016 that as part of a review of their sponsorship strategy across both Barclaycard and the broader Barclays Group, it planned to move away from long-term naming rights with the venue.

The Nooran Sisters (September 9), John Legend (September 20) and The Australian Pink Floyd Show (September 30) are scheduled to be among the first to perform at the venue under the new brand name.

Managing Director for the NEC Group Arenas, Phil Mead, said: “The Barclaycard Arena has been a resounding success since it launched with Michael Bublé in 2014 following a £26 million redevelopment.

"The award-winning venue has attracted world-class entertainment from Drake to Iron Maiden and Céline Dion, and has secured high profile international sports events from the Davis Cup in 2016, to the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in 2018.

“Much of what we have achieved is down to the support of Barclaycard who have been an excellent partner since 2012, but we are now entering another exciting era with Arena Birmingham, as it’s transformed into a destination in its own right within the city.

"The construction of the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham is already underway, we are a principal venue of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 bid, and will be hosting a roster of great events throughout the rest of 2017/18.”

With the Genting Arena also under its control, the NEC Group Arenas attract more than 1.5 million visitors annually.