Three Ireland CEO Robert Finnegan
The O2 Arena in Dublin – once known as the Point Depot – is to be renamed the 3Arena following Three’s acquisition of O2 Ireland for €850m in recent months.
The future name of the arena prompted much speculation but Three confirmed the name change this morning.
The Live Nation-owned 13,500 capacity venue plays a significant role in the Irish entertainment industry, hosting more than 100 gigs per year.
Some of the biggest acts in the world are set to take to the stage of the refurbished venue in the coming months, including Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Ennio Morricone, Imelda May, The Who and Peter Gabriel.
The European Commission approved Three’s acquisition of O2 Ireland from Telefónica in May.
The implications of the acquisition are still emerging. Earlier this week Three confirmed that 160 jobs, including 75 retail jobs, were to be cut. However, 90 new jobs in customer care and 25 contract IT jobs were being created.
Last week, Three signed a network-sharing deal with Eircom that runs to 2030 and will see some 2,000 new 4G cellular sites built across Ireland.
“Three is delighted to formally announce our involvement with music with the naming of 3Arena – Ireland’s No.1 entertainment venue,” Three CEO Robert Finnegan said.
“3Arena is a very important sponsorship asset for Three as it demonstrates our commitment to brand investment and customer loyalty – another step in the integration of two great businesses. Today’s announcement comes in addition to our significant network investment commitment over the next three years.”
