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Amazon renames Seattle’s KeyArena the Climate Pledge Arena
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 29 June 2020
Amazon is getting its own arena. Well, it’s sponsoring one, not building one. Even though Jeff Bezos could afford to build a whole city of arenas tomorrow if he wanted to. But no, he just wants to grab himself some naming rights. Though you won’t be seeing the Amazon Arena opening up any time soon. Nor the Jeff Bezos Arena. Or even the Please Don’t Mention Our Tax Bill Arena. No, Amazon has asked that the venue it is now sponsoring be known as the Climate Pledge Arena.
That new name will be used by what was previously known as the KeyArena in Seattle – that being the city where Amazon’s HQ is located. As well as being called the Climate Pledge Arena, the plan is to make the venue – which is currently being redeveloped – the first net zero carbon arena in the world. It’s all part of Amazon’s Climate Pledge, which it launched last year with Global Optimism, and which calls on companies to join the web giant in aiming to become fully net carbon zero by 2040.
“We’ve secured naming rights to the historic arena previously known as KeyArena”, says Bezos in a statement. “Instead of naming it after Amazon, we’re calling it Climate Pledge Arena as a regular reminder of the importance of fighting climate change. We look forward to working together with Oak View Group, a new Climate Pledge signatory, and NHL Seattle to inspire global climate action”.
Oak View Group, by the way, operates the arena, while Seattle’s NHL hockey team and Seattle Storm WNBA basketball team will play their home games at the venue.
Adds Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke: “There is no question that the state of our planet is a critical issue for all of us. We have a responsibility to future generations to try to leave them with a better world. We love that Amazon is using its naming rights for a cause we care deeply about – this partnership is a visionary step for the facilities business and sport and music industries. Our goal is to be the most progressive, responsible, and sustainable venue in the world. It is not just about one arena – it’s a platform for us to step up and heal our planet”.
You can find out more about The Climate Pledge here.
