Tennis Australia renamed the venue the Melbourne Arena to give it a more "iconic" name. GETTY IMAGES
The Hisense Arena, the Australian Open's second biggest stadium, has a new name after Tennis Australia "purchased the naming rights to the stadium and renamed it Melbourne Arena for the next five years," according to Roy Ward of THE AGE. The previous sponsorship lasted for a decade but the change to Melbourne Arena was "portrayed as a win" for Victoria and for the tenants that use the stadium, which can "now seek additional electronics sponsors who previously had to contend with a competing company on the stadium name." TA CEO Craig Tiley confirmed on Tuesday the organization took on the naming rights because it wanted an "iconic" name for the venue. Tiley: "Tennis Australia basically bought the naming rights for it so we had the opportunity for this to be named Melbourne Arena." With the Australian Open locked into Melbourne Park until '36, Tiley "hopes the Melbourne Arena name lasts just as long." He said, "The exact term is still being worked through but our agenda is to keep it for as long as [possible]." Victorian Sports Minister John Eren said that he "expected the new name to be around for the foreseeable future" but did not rule out "eventually going back to a corporate naming rights sponsor" if TA did not want to continue to hold the rights (THE AGE, 8/21).
