WAS1.L Regulatory News (WAS1)

Press release September 22, 2015

Wasps and the Ricoh Arena welcome the HEINEKEN experience

Europe's largest beer and cider business has become an official drinks partner of Wasps and the Ricoh Arena in a seven-figure deal.

HEINEKEN has become the Official Lager and Cider Partner to Wasps and the Ricoh Arena.

The company will supply all beer and cider to the award-winning Midlands venue, whether guests are visiting the Ricoh Arena for sport, business or entertainment.

http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/7994Z_-2015-9-22.pdf 

As well as the flagship Heineken brand, visitors to the Ricoh Arena will also be able to sample Foster's, Amstel, Strongbow, Symonds Founder's Reserve Cider and John Smith's on draught, along with bottles of Heineken, Bulmers, Foster's, Sol, Desperados, Birra Moretti and Old Mout.

HEINEKEN will be supporting the refurbishment of many of the bars around the Ricoh Arena and will also create brand areas and pop-up fanzones on Wasps match days to enable supporters to enjoy a full match day experience.

HEINEKEN has a long association with international rugby, including the Rugby World Cups in 1995, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, the Heineken Cup between 1995-2014 - which was won twice by Wasps - and many of the IRB Rugby 7s tournaments.

David Armstrong, group chief executive, Wasps, said: "This was a fiercely competitive tender process. We are very proud to have agreed a partnership with a brand of the calibre of HEINEKEN and its exciting portfolio of brands, for supporters and visitors to enjoy at the Ricoh Arena.

"This new partnership is the culmination of months of planning to bring together three best-in-class brands under one roof; Heineken, Majestic Commercial and Purity Brewing Co, the Midlands-based market leader in craft ales.

"This powerful pouring rights combination provides significant value to Wasps and ensures we have the best of everything in one place, to cater for all tastes at the Ricoh Arena."

Luke Organ, Group Commercial Director, said: "This is the third partnership we have announced in recent weeks and we are delighted to be associated with such a prestigious international business.

"HEINEKEN shares our ambition for providing a high quality, memorable experience for our guests, whether they are visiting the Ricoh Arena for a match, conference, exhibition, awards dinner or concert and I am sure this will be a successful relationship."

Lawson Mountstevens, HEINEKEN's managing director, on-trade sales, said: "This partnership was secured on the strength of our premium range of beers and ciders and we have a long-standing connection to rugby which is fitting as Wasps embark on their first full season of Aviva Premiership and European rugby at the Ricoh Arena.

"The Ricoh Arena and Wasps are keen to create the best possible match day experience and we will be playing our part by working with the club to encourage supporters to visit our fanzones and brand areas."

HEINEKEN joins the Ricoh Arena and Wasps brand family, which includes Ricoh, Land Rover, EMC2, E.ON, DS Smith, Under Armour, Pins & Stripes, Majestic, Causeway and Purity.

-ENDS-

Contacts

Wasps

Email: Melissa.platt@wasps.co.uk

T: 0208 8964871

M: 07809 512172

HEINEKEN

Email: Joanna.dring@heineken.co.uk

M: 07788 369161  

About HEINEKEN

Headquartered in Edinburgh, HEINEKEN employs around 2,000 people. In addition to being Britain's leading cider and beer business, HEINEKEN owns around 1,250 pubs through its Star Pubs & Bars business. We are passionate about our cider and beer brands and the outstanding service that we offer to our customers. Our unrivalled portfolio of brands includes Foster's, Heineken®, Strongbow, Desperados, Kronenbourg1664, John Smith's and Bulmers backed by a full range of niche and specialty brands.

About Wasps: 

Wasps is a professional rugby team which plays in the Aviva Premiership, European Rugby Champions Cup and LV=Cup. Wasps has been crowned European Champions twice and English Champions five times.

Wasps' official partners and suppliers include: Land Rover, EMC2, DS Smith, Under Armour, HEINEKEN, Majestic Commercial, Purity Brewery Co, Pins & Stripes, Causeway, Ears, and Taylor's Port.

About the Ricoh Arena:

The Ricoh Arena is an award-winning venue, which has a mix of state-of the-art conference, banqueting, exhibition, hotel, music and sports facilities. Visited by over 1 million people each year, it is a firm favourite in the UK for music promoters as well as business and sports event organisers.

§ Home to Wasps and Coventry City Football Club

§ 32,609 seater stadium 

§ 121 bedroom hotel

§ One of the UK's largest Grosvenor casinos

§ 20,000 sqm of flexible event space across 80 rooms which can conference up to 7,000 delegates.

§ Leading concert venue of 40,500 capacity - hosting concerts such as Bon Jovi, Oasis, Bruce Springsteen and Take That.

§ 6,000 sqm Jaguar Exhibition Hall - accommodating 12,000 standing and hosting conferences such as Costa Coffee and indoor concerts such as Florence and the Machine, The Enemy, Britain's Got Talent, Radio 1 Extra and the UKs biggest gaming festival - Multiplay.

§ 650 retractable seated auditorium

§ Two on-site restaurants

§ 20+ retail, food and beverage outlets

§ 2,000 car parking spaces

The Ricoh Arena's official partners include Ricoh, Jaguar, E.ON, HEINEKEN, Majestic Commercial, Purity Brewery Co. mcl create, Hygiene Solutions, Freeman.

For more information about Wasps and our partners please visit: