Welcome to Phones 4u Arena – Manchester

Development Securities has agreed a five-year sponsorship deal with the mobile phone retailer to rename the Manchester Arena as the Phones 4u Arena – Manchester.

The 21,000-seat arena, the largest indoor venue in Europe, became Manchester Arena in January 2012 after 13 years as the Manchester Evening News Arena.

No value was given for the Phones 4u deal in DevSec's statement to the London Stock Exchange this morning.

The arena is operated by SMG Europe and owned in joint venture by Development Securities and Patron Capital. PHAR Partnerships, a specialist sponsorship agency, was appointed to secure a new naming rights partner for the arena earlier this year.

With 1.2 million ticket sales each year, the Phones 4u Arena is the second busiest indoor arena in the world after the O2 Arena in London. It regularly hosts some of the biggest acts in music, comedy and sport including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Coldplay, Take That, Muse, Peter Kay, Michael McIntyre, Ricky Hatton and Amir Khan and is widely regarded as one of the best indoor venues in the world for live music.

Matthew Weiner, director, Development Securities said: "We are very pleased to have secured such a high quality naming rights partner so soon after PHAR's appointment this year reflecting the strength of the Manchester market and the popularity of the arena. Phones 4u is a household name and a strong brand association for the arena which is a cutting edge venue in respect of mobile technology. We are confident that this new partnership will further build the arena's reputation and success."

Scott Hooton, chief commercial officer at Phones 4u, said: "This is an incredibly exciting time in Phones 4u's history as our brand grows and evolves, and strives to engage with a broader audience. The partnership is also particularly relevant considering the rapid convergence of the entertainment and mobile space and over time, will allow us to deliver a whole host of exclusive benefits to our customers. Mobile phones are increasingly becoming central to the way people create, experience and share entertainment, whether in their own living room or in a large arena."