The National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks and financial services company Fiserv, Inc., announced today that Fiserv has signed an exclusive naming rights agreement for the nearly completed Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center, now called Fiserv Forum.
Financial terms of the 25-year agreement were not disclosed.
The new venue, which will feature a public celebration on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, will serve as home to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Marquette University Golden Eagles men’s basketball team, and as a showcase for world-class entertainment and other events. The Fiserv brand will be prominently featured on the exterior façade, playing surface, rooftop and throughout the facility, which is the centerpiece of a 30-acre business, residential, cultural and entertainment revitalization in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Host to more than 200 events annually, Fiserv Forum will welcome world-renowned artists such as Justin Timberlake, Pink, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac and the Foo Fighters in its inaugural year. The Killers will headline the grand opening concert on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
“We are excited to partner with the Milwaukee Bucks to create an unprecedented opportunity to elevate our brand as one of the world’s leading providers of financial technology and payment services,” said Jeff Yabuki, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fiserv. “We also expect this arrangement to further differentiate our brand in support of our purpose of delivering value and excellence to our clients every day.”
Fiserv Forum is a world-class arena designed to showcase the latest in technology and entertainment experiences that reflect today’s rapidly evolving consumer expectations. Its design pays homage to Milwaukee’s architectural heritage and the region’s environment. Its eye-catching façade features an immense wall of glass that, for those outside its barrier, will reveal the exciting experiences taking place within. One of the building’s most striking features is its arched roof, which overlaps the glass façade and stretches down to the street level on one side. This sloping section is punctuated with vertical multi-storied glass, which includes ceramic frit patterns.
In collaborating on the name for the state-of-the-art arena, the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv selected the name “Fiserv Forum” as a nod to the fintech leader’s annual world-class client experience event where the best and brightest technology, financial services and business professionals gather each year to exchange ideas, learn and experience leading financial technology. Like its annual client conference, which bears the same name, this new Fiserv brand touchpoint is designed to showcase exceptional diverse and unique perspectives and experiences.
“We are proud to become a long-term partner with Fiserv, a dynamic international company with a prominent Wisconsin presence, which deeply shares our commitment to bettering and growing Milwaukee,” said Bucks owners Wes Edens, Marc Lasry and Jamie Dinan. “It was clear from the start of our conversations that the Bucks and Fiserv align perfectly in our goals for innovation and leadership, and carry the same passion for excellence. As Fiserv Forum becomes an internationally recognized venue, we are excited to be an instrumental part of furthering Fiserv’s brand as a leader in its industry. Fiserv Forum will be the entertainment and sporting heart of our city and will deliver memorable experiences for fans and families in Wisconsin for generations to come.”
The agreement further affirms Fiserv’s commitment to its hometown of Milwaukee. “It’s an honor and privilege to continue the tradition established by Jane Bradley Pettit, whose generosity and love for the Milwaukee community funded the city’s prior arena more than 30 years ago. We are proud to be a part of the transformation and revitalization of our home community that continues to evolve for the better,” said Yabuki.
The visual identity for Fiserv Forum incorporates a period – or proof point – that follows ‘Fiserv’ in the wordmark, embodying the full-hearted Fiserv commitment to excellence. The period also symbolizes a connection point. It connects the Fiserv brand promise – to be a Partner in Possibility – to the local community and beyond, and connects a legacy of leadership in financial technology to the future and a newly broadened audience. The proof point also connects Fiserv and its clients to the vibrancy and energy that Fiserv Forum will hold: games, shows, celebrations, family, friends and fun. Using the Fiserv brand typeface, the graphic system makes use of its numerous weights, allowing room for expression, play and a vocal energy that is as diverse as the experiences Fiserv Forum will have to offer.