Etihad Airways give ‘wings’ to Etihad Park

Article posted by Coliseum, May 19^th, 2021

Image: Abu Dhabi Media Office

The second flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – Etihad Airways – will take over the naming rights to Yas Island’s 40,000-capacity venue.

‘The National’ stated that the du Arena as is known to UAE concertgoers, the Middle East’s largest outdoor venue, will now be called Etihad Park.

Yas Arena, which was also known as du arena for sponsorship reasons, and is now known as the Etihad Park, is an outdoor music venue and amphitheater in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The region’s largest outdoor venue, it has a seating capacity up 25,000 to 50,000 audience members at a time.

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The Yas Island venue has become synonymous with A-list concerts, and takes pride in hosting the likes of American singer-songwriter Madonna, English rock band The Rolling Stones, American rapper Eminem, Barbadian singer Rihanna, and American singer-songwriter Katy Perry over the years.

‘The National’ further stated that the deal is part of a larger partnership announced between Etihad Airways and entertainment company Flash Entertainment, which owns the venue.

The above move comes after the national airline agreed to the naming rights for Yas Island’s 18,000-capacity venue, Etihad Arena.

Etihad Arena (initially known as Yas Bay Arena while under construction) is an indoor arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, located on the Yas Bay Waterfront district of Yas Island. Designed by HOK, the capacity of the venue is 18,000 and it is operated by Flash Entertainment.

Brint Jackson, General Manager, Etihad Arena, UAE, is a Member of Coliseum – Global Sports Venue Alliance.

Flash Entertainment is Middle East’s leading entertainment company, providing unmissable events and entertainment that engages and inspires, and pioneering the future of music and sporting events, community and family festivals, and more.

Stated Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive, Etihad Aviation Group, “Expanding our portfolio of Abu Dhabi partners to further promote Yas Island as a leisure destination is an honor. Following Government safety guidelines in response to the COVID pandemic, we look forward to jointly announcing with Flash Entertainment an exciting calendar of events.”

Added Douglas, “Etihad Park is testament to our commitment in positioning the UAE capital as a world-class entertainment hub and marries well with our existing sponsorship of Etihad Arena and the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix.”

John Lickrish, Chief Executive, Flash Entertainment, said the venue has hosted more than 1.5 million fans since 2009 – “At Flash Entertainment, we are working hard to ensure the safe return of live events and look forward to welcoming fans to the Etihad Park soon.”

Added Lickrish, “As the largest outdoor entertainment venue in the region, the 40,000-capacity arena has welcomed over 1.5 million fans since 2009, and hosted some of the biggest international A-list stars during events such as the Yasalam After-Race Concerts held over the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend. The versatility and size of the venue means that it can host global superstars such as Coldplay (rock band), Beyoncé (American singer) and The Killers (American rock band), and large-scale family and culinary events in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s entertainment hub – Yas Island.”

He informed, “We are working hard to ensure the safe return of live events and look forward to welcoming fans to the Etihad Park soon.”

‘Khaleej Times’ stated that Yas Island’s custom-built open-air space is the Middle East’s largest outdoor venue. The newly named venue is the latest addition to Etihad’s growing list of sponsored entertainment hubs, following the introduction of Etihad Arena earlier this year.

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