Times Square’s 2,150-capacity concert and special events venue has officially been renamed PlayStation Theater, it was announced today by Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. (SCEA) and AEG Live. Formerly known as Best Buy Theater, the venue celebrates its 10th anniversary this Fall having hosted 1,368 events and sold 1.7 million tickets since its grand opening on September 19, 2005. Artists that have played at the theater include Bon Jovi, The Eagles, John Legend, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, Fall Out Boy, Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Drake, Little Big Town, Sugarland, Prince, Tom Jones, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and Phil Lesh & Friends who had an historic 14 night run at the venue in 2008.
The 45,000-square foot theater has also hosted special events such as Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, Good Morning America concert series performances by Janet Jackson and Usher, Bruce Springsteen’s Gateway Schools Benefit, MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert honoring Pete Townshend and Bill Curbishley, ESPN and Nickelodeon upfronts in addition to being the home of the annual Heisman Trophy presentation since 2005.
The strategic partnership, negotiated by AEG Global Partnerships and SCEA will include the rebranding of all of the Theater’s interior and exterior signage, including the iconic Times Square marquee, live performances on PlayStation Network, experiential marketing initiatives, and VIP hospitality opportunities.
“As a leader in global entertainment, PlayStation is the perfect partner for a venue centrally located at the ‘crossroads of the world,'” said Mark Shulman, Vice President and General Manager of AEG Live. “As the live music experience evolves, it’s important to AEG Live to stay ahead of technology and trends, and as many of our younger fans are gamers as well, we are excited for the possibilities at PlayStation Theater.”
“PlayStation Theater is an exceptionally exciting initiative, allowing us to marry our tremendous brand momentum with an amazing venue right in the heart of Times Square,” said John Koller, Vice President, Marketing at PlayStation. “We believe the PlayStation brand should be deeply integrated with large cultural events, and this partnership provides that opportunity. We are looking forward to exploring significant cultural moments at PlayStation Theater.”
“PlayStation Theater, located at the epicenter of live entertainment, is the perfect venue for PlayStation to show their latest products,” said Andrew Klein, Sr. Vice President, AEG Global Partnerships. “We are excited to work with a global leader to launch the new PlayStation Theater, a venue proven to be one of the industry’s greatest destinations for live entertainment.”
Quite the development, especially for those who live in New York and are vivid PlayStation fans. Could this mean that Sony could be moving or setting up another PlayStation Experience event in New York, bringing it closer for East Coast gamers? Only time will tell, but it’s pretty damned exciting, that’s for sure.
Source: PlayStation Blog
