Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways has signed a “multi-million dollar agreement” to extend its sponsorship of Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium until 2019.
The deal involves a five-year extension of the naming and marketing rights to the stadium. The airline first became a sponsor in March 2009, the same month it commenced flights between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi.
The multi-use stadium, which has a massive retractable roof, claims to have had more than 25 million visitors since opening in March 2000. It has been used to host football, cricket and rugby games, as well as concerts by acts including U2, Bon Jovi and Eminem.
Etihad has upped its game in sports sponsorship in recent years. Last year it announced that the Manchester City football ground in the UK would be renamed the Etihad Stadium, in a 10-year deal that also included shirt sponsorship.