Southern-California based automaker Kia America and the live music and entertainment venue the Forum have announced that beginning today, the Forum will be known as the Kia Forum. Kia becomes the naming rights and official automotive partner of the only arena-sized venue in the U.S. dedicated to music and entertainment, marking the first U.S. naming rights deal for the automaker.
The Kia Forum annually hosts the biggest names in music and entertainment, award shows, boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling and more. It has been a SoCal destination for 55 years and as further proof of its impact on the region and industry, the venue was presented with the L.A. Conservancy Preservation Award in 2014 and honored at the 2021 Pollstar Awards as “Arena of the Decade.”
“Kia America is proud of our history in Southern California going back to the establishment of our US Headquarters here in 1992, and so we all celebrate now being part of one of the most historic, and emotionally-connected live entertainment and sports venues in California – if not the world,” said Russell Wager, vice president, marketing, Kia America. “We are thrilled to be a part of the entertainment and excitement of live music and events at the Kia Forum moving forward.”
“We’re proud to partner with Kia and weave together our history with an innovative future, while continuing our dedication to the SoCal community,” said Geni Lincoln, GM and SVP Live Events, the Kia Forum. “We look forward to merging the entertainment and automotive industries, broadening our mutual commitments to diversity, sustainability, and creativity.”
The renaming of the Kia Forum is just the latest step in the transformation of Kia in the United States which accelerated with 2021’s North American debut of its award-winning electric vehicle, the EV6, and the introduction of the company’s Plan S, or Plan Shift, strategy. Kia’s ambitious $25 billion Plan S incorporates new sustainable mobility, delivery vehicles and personal transport solutions. This includes the debut of 11 EVs on a global basis by 2026, and thus far in 2022, Kia has celebrated a strong start of EV6 deliveries to customers nationwide.
Kia’s partnership with the Kia Forum will include new outdoor and indoor signage, the installation of EV charging stations, and Kia vehicle displays beginning with the EV6. Also coming soon is the establishment of the “Kia Club,” an exclusive hospitality lounge for the enjoyment of automotive enthusiasts and music fans.
