Jay Z’s TIDAL just experienced another win. Barclays Center in Brooklyn has inked a sponsorship deal with streaming service Tidal that will see the arena’s theater operate as the Tidal Theatre going forward.
The theater officially became the Tidal Theater on Monday (Oct 26).
The relationship will tap into Tidal’s artist development platform Tidal Discovery, as well as serving up unique experiences via Tidal X. As part of its naming rights agreement, Tidal will be curating events in the Tidal Theater with emerging and established artists. “[Tidal] will put a minimum of eight events into the theater annually,” Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark told Billboard magazine, “but we’ll compliment that with other events.”
The Tidal Theater news comes on the heels of the Oct. 20 Tidal X: 1020 Amplified by HTC show on Oct. 20 at Barclays Center, which included performances by Jay Z, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce. The Tidal X live stream drew 3.3 million people in 198 countries throughout the night, according to a Barclays Center spokesperson — more than double the number of people who streamed the Super Bowl in 2015. “Even though [Tidal X] wasn’t in the theater, we obviously had a big week,” Yormark notes. “I don’t speak for [Tidal], but I think those kind of collaborative efforts really drive home what that brand means, and certainly the impact it has. I would venture to say, based on the success here, they’re probably going to do more events.”
Yormark says the partnership, “affords us the opportunity to work with Tidal on emerging artist platforms and showcases, as well as some of their other artists, it doesn’t have to just be emerging artists,” he says. “As evidenced by [Tidal X: 1020] the other night, Tidal, when they want to, can put on some big time events, and we anticipate having quite a few here at Barclays Center. It’s just another strategic alliance that I think helps to advance the content business here at Barclays Center, and we’re very excited about it.”
The deal is unique in that it is believed to be the first time a digital content company has come in as a sponsor for a live performance venue. Yormark declined to reveal financial aspects of the deal beyond its content component, but did say, “Any of our platforms in Brooklyn, any of our major pieces of inventory, there’s a cost to them. But I don’t look at this [Tidal deal] as a revenue driver in that respect, I look at this as a really good strategic partnership because, ultimately we’re only as good as the events we have at the building.”
The Tidal Theater’s curtaining system can offer seating for between 4,000 and 6,000 for theatrical performances, concerts, music festivals, boxing events, comedy acts, and other events. A newly unveiled configuration will allow guests to have direct floor access to Barclays Center’s Billboard Lounge amplified by Lightpath, and the Calvin Klein Courtside Club, as well as offer top sightlines from the 40/40 Club & Restaurant by American Express.
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