Barclaycard to sponsor Hyde Park gigs

It has previously backed the Wireless festival at the venue, and sponsors the Mercury Prize. It operates all its music-related sponsorships, including its ties to Wembley Arena and the NIA venue in Birmingham, under its Barclaycard Unwind sub-brand.

The Hyde Park deal follows The Royal Parks’ decision to appoint AEG Live as the event organiser for the venue in November, replacing Live Nation.

Dan Mathieson, head of sponsorship at Barclaycard, said the brand would use the events to showcase its latest payment technologies, as well as offering a branded hospitality area and a 48-hour pre-sale period for its customers.

The Hyde Park events have been dogged by a series of controversies, including sets by artists, such as Bruce Springsteen, being cut short due to licensing constraints, and complaints from residents.

The venue also faces com-petition from the Olympic Stadium in Stratford, which is expected to re-open for music events from July. Former Hyde Park promoted Live Nation has secured an exclusive deal to stage concerts at the venue. Both Wireless and Hard Rock Calling festivals are set to move to the Olympic site this year.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk