Naming rights still on the market
In 18 months, no-one has put up their hand to get their brand on the Waikato Regional Theatre.
Theatre general manager Gus Sharp says the team is not overly worried about the naming rights situation and a local advertising boss reckons it’s still “a great opportunity”.
A $2 million donation can secure naming rights for the theatre for a decade, starting when the doors open in early to mid-2025.
That means exposure to tens of thousands of people a year, the possibility of the name getting on the social media of big artists - if “Adele or Ed Sheeran” ever perform there, for example - and hosting opportunities.
The $80m theatre’s opening night has been delayed a year due to a tight market for materials and other factors.
Sharp said it was a huge investment amid a “tightening time” for businesses. “These things take time, it’s not something that you order off a shelf,” he said.
Meanwhile, several fundraising methods are being used, including grant funding, crowd funding through the Take a Seat initiative that has raised over $345,000 already, government discussions and more, Sharp said. “At the moment, we're happy with how things are proceeding.
But for those interested in getting their name on the “very prominent building”, visible from Hamilton East to CBD, there are various benefits.
“The name goes on all tickets and posters of the acts who perform.”
“If Adele or Ed Sheeran ever do a performance at the theatre, that name goes out on all of their social media channels and things like that as well.
“We estimate 80,000 to 100,000 people through the venue a year at the low end, all of whom see the collateral.”
Sharp said they also offered benefits of hosting events in the building.
King St Advertising CEO Chris Williams said if a brand was aligned with the values of the theatre, it could be very beneficial and a “great opportunity”.
Spark Arena in Auckland, FMG Stadium in Hamilton and Sky Stadium in Wellington were good examples. The naming gave the brand a long-term presence in the market. However, given the donation amount, it would have to be a big corporate.