Wembley Stadium unveils ground-breaking partnership agreement with EE
- EE signs six-year partnership deal with iconic Wembley Stadium
- Wembley to benefit from multi-million pound investment in state-of-the-art technologies
- New bespoke Wembley app launches today as part of the partnership
- A ‘technology road map’ will see enhanced 4G coverage, superfast Wi-Fi and mobile payment solutions introduced during the partnership
- The world-renowned name of the stadium will remain
Wembley National Stadium Ltd. (WNSL) and EE have today announced that the UK’s most advanced digital communications company has become the inaugural lead partner for Wembley Stadium. The ground-breaking six-year partnership – which sees Wembley sign a lead brand partner for the first time in its history – will commence with immediate effect, with the first event at the stadium being the Capital One Cup Final on March 2. The historic and world-renowned name of the stadium will remain.
The partnership has been agreed between WNSL and EE on the basis of a shared ambition to make Wembley the most connected stadium in the world – ensuring it sits alongside the most technologically advanced stadiums across the globe for years to come. Wembley will benefit from multi-million pound investment in its technological infrastructure over the course of the six-year partnership to offer visitors the best possible ‘sofa to seat’ experience.
As part of a planned ‘technology road map’ to be delivered during the six-year deal, future technological advancements from EE include mobile ticketing solutions, enhanced mobile network access and super-fast Wi-Fi available for all. EE customers will benefit from exclusive ticketing and marketing initiatives from late March.
The deal also includes the launch of a free app – the first bespoke app designed for Wembley visitors. The new app offers fans a dynamic feed of event content as well as stadium and travel information and is available to download on Apple and Android devices from today.
The collaborative partnership will be represented in a new composite logo – unveiled today – which unites the two organisations. This partnership will be referenced across all channels for both parties as Wembley Stadium connected by EE. As part of the partnership EE will also become a supplier to the England Men’s Senior Team and The FA Cup competition.
Melvin Benn, Wembley Chairman, said: “We have been looking for the right partner to help us make sure that Wembley maintains its reputation for being one of the best sport and entertainment venues on the planet. As stadia around the world become increasingly more technologically advanced, EE is the perfect partner to assist us in fulfilling that goal, giving event owners and their fans the best possible and unforgettable shared experiences.
“Wembley Stadium marked its 90th anniversary in 2013 and this partnership shows that we’re looking to the future and ensuring that we fulfil our ambition to offer inspiring memories, whilst bringing innovation to the stadium at a much faster rate and providing services that are at the forefront of consumer engagement and technology.”
Olaf Swantee, CEO at EE, said: "We are extremely proud to announce our partnership with Wembley Stadium. At EE, we are always looking for new ways to enhance digital lives across the UK and this ground-breaking deal allows us to extend the same vision and passion to the country's national stadium. Over the coming months, we will announce an exciting programme of upgrades and innovations to the existing infrastructure at Wembley that will ensure the stadium offers visitors a world class spectator experience for many years to come.”
Peter Daire, FA Group Head of Sponsorship, said: “I’m delighted that we have secured EE as Wembley Stadium Lead Partner. We have diligently taken our time, in collaboration with Wasserman, in sourcing a technology brand that shares our enthusiasm and commitment and EE will help to make the Wembley fan experience the best it can be”.
To register for more information visit www.ee.co.uk/Wembley
Further details of the partnership and enhanced visitor experience will be announced in due course.
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For more information, please contact Wembley Stadium, EE or M&C Saatchi PR:
Thomas Rowland, The Football Association – Thomas.Rowland@thefa.com
Jessica Turner, EE – Jessica.Turner@ee.co.uk
Jonny Stanton, M&C Saatchi PR – jonny.stanton@mcsaatchi.com / 0207 544 3600
For further information on EE, please visit www.ee.co.uk
*The partnership was facilitated by Cake for EE
About the Wembley app
The Wembley iOS and Android app was designed and developed for EE & Wembley Stadium by Future Platforms.
Visit ee.co.uk/Wembley for further information
The app is available to download from the following links:
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wembley/id823822471?ls=1&mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wembleystadium.events
About Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium is the home of the England national football team. Since its creation in 1923 Wembley has hosted some of the most famous sporting and music entertainment events, including England’s World Cup success in 1966 and some of the most iconic music moments including Live Aid in 1985 and Take That’s record-breaking Progress Tour in 2011.
The original stadium was demolished in 2000 and the new, 90,000-seat stadium was opened in 2007.
Wembley Stadium has evolved and now hosts no fewer than 15 different event owners with an incredible 38 events hosted in 2013. The NFL will host three International Series matches in 2014 which complement the other existing partnerships with the Football League, RFL, Saracens Rugby Club and a number of music promoters, including SJM, Metropolis and Live Nation.
In 2012 the stadium hosted nine matches during the Olympic Games and was the proud host of the 2011 and 2013 UEFA Champions League Final, making it a total of seven European Cup Finals, more than any other venue in Europe.
Wembley Stadium has a rich and proud sporting and music heritage spanning 90-years and was also the focal point for The FA’s 150th anniversary, hosting high-profile matches against Brazil, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Chile and Germany in 2013 and will provide the kick-off for England’s World Cup preparations in Spring 2014.
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About EE
EE is the largest and most advanced digital communications company in Britain, delivering mobile and fixed communications services to consumers, businesses, government and the wholesale market. With approximately 15,000 employees and 600 retail stores, EE serves more than 27 million customers on EE, Orange and T-Mobile mobile and broadband plans.
EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, having introduced the UK's first superfast 4G mobile service in 2012. EE's 4G coverage reaches 70% of the UK population. EE’s 2G coverage reaches 99% of the population while 3G reaches 98%. EE's superfast fibre broadband service covers 54% of the UK population, and ADSL broadband service covers 98.7% of the population.
EE has received extensive independent recognition including being ranked the UK's best overall network by RootMetrics®, Fastest Network at the 2013 uSwitch Awards, Best Network at the 2013 Mobile Choice Consumer Awards and What Mobile Awards, Network Innovation at the 2013 Recombu awards and Best Network for Business at the 2013 Mobile Industry awards.
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Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ee
Twitter at: www.twitter.com/ee
YouTube at: www.youtube.com/ee
LinkedIn at: www.linkedin.com/company/ee-uk