German food company heristo has secured the long-term naming rights to the OWL Arena in Halle, Westphalia.
Heristo said the deal also includes naming rights to the directly adjacent event center, which will also bear the heristo name in the future.
The arena has enjoyed international renown for decades as the venue for one of Germany’s largest and most successful ATP tennis tournaments.
It also serves as a stage for other top-class sporting events, concerts, and business events.
The unified naming of the arena and event center further strengthens the location as a modern event complex.
OWL Arena, formerly Gerry Weber Stadion, is a multi-purpose arena, located in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany. The capacity of the arena is 12,300 and it opened in 1993.
In early 2020, a consortium of 13 sponsors became owner of the venue and its name was changed to OWL Arena.
Heristo is a family-owned German food company headquartered in Bad Rothenfelde, Germany. It’s one of the largest diversified food manufacturers and wholesalers in Germany and Europe.
And the company says that with this agreement it reaffirms its commitment to East Westphalia-Lippe and links the partnership to further investments in regional infrastructure.
Oliver W. Risken, CEO of heristo, said, “The arena in Halle stands for top-level sporting performance, international appeal, and strong regional roots. This combination is a perfect fit for heristo.
“By acquiring the naming rights, we are making a long-term commitment to East Westphalia-Lippe and the people of the region.
“Together with the arena’s management, our goal is to further strengthen Westphalia as a leading location for sports and events in Germany.”
Ralf Weber, Managing Partner of OWL, is also pleased about the partnership. He said, “With heristo, we are gaining a strong, reliable partner from the region. The cooperation gives us planning security for the further development of the site and new impetus for sports and entertainment.
“Together, we want to further develop the arena and the event center as a vibrant meeting place for fans, families, and businesses.”
The renaming takes effect immediately. The partnership is intended to give the arena new impetus in the coming years, from investments in infrastructure to joint activations.
Both sides will provide information about the specific projects in the coming weeks.
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