MasterCard Renames Beijing’s Wukesong Arena

MasterCard has obtained naming rights for Beijing’s iconic Wukesong Arena, the basketball venue for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The 18,000-seat arena will be renamed the MasterCard Center, or Wanshida Zhongxin in Chinese, in a five-year deal with the venue owners Bloomage International Investment Group and U.S.-based AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.

To officially launch MasterCard Center, popular Cantonese pop singer, Jacky Cheung will be performing on 21 January. Other renowned artists scheduled to perform in the arena in 2011 include American rock band, the Eagles and Hong Kong singer, Aaron Kwok. In addition, the arena will host NBA basketball, table tennis, badminton and other sporting events.

Ling Hai, Division President, Greater China, MasterCard Worldwide, said, “We are delighted to rebrand an iconic Olympics venue as the MasterCard Center in Beijing, the capital city and an emerging market with huge growth potential. We’ve seen in recent years, thanks to the increasing prosperity and stability of China’s economy and society, a surge in public demand for live entertainment and sports events, creating a prosperous and active market for such events. By providing opportunities for unique access to performers and behind-the-scenes action, we aim to bring to local consumers and businesses that we collaborate with a series of Priceless experiences in the MasterCard Center. In Chinese our name means “everything is attainable”.”

David Yang, NBA China Vice President, Business Development and Marketing Partnerships, added, “There is a growing appetite for sports and entertainment in China and the MasterCard Center will continue the legacy of the Beijing Olympics and further solidify the city as a premiere destination for world-class events. Together with our partners, we have a long-term commitment to China and we look forward to bringing NBA basketball to the state-of-the-art MasterCard Center in years to come.”

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