Co-Op Live

[IvorTheEngineDriver]

AIBU to wonder why on earth the Co-Op hasn't pulled its name from the Co-Op Live arena?

I know Co-Op don't own the place - they just sponsor it and get their name on the outside, but surely the ongoing delays and crises can't be doing their brand any good at all?

Maybe they’re tied up in a contract that means they can’t easily withdraw?

But presumably that contract required the venue's owners to have a venue up and running by a certain date - which they have signally failed to do.

But even so there are going to be legalities that need to be done you can’t just suddenly say “take the name off”

and even if they took the name off tomorrow it would still stick. Just like many still call it the MEN arena even though it’s now the AO arena.

I don't know, but the media are making a right palaver of the whole thing, it's hardly headline news.

It will calm own and all be forgotten very soon…..I’m confident I will be there on 12th June ( I have take that tickets)

You won’t be there, they have moved the dates to the AO arena.

I've been finding the whole thing quite amusing.

The idea of a 'test event with Rick Astley' tickled me; poor old Rick.

No they haven't. Not the June dates, only the May dates have been moved.

No they haven’t 🙄

I live nearby it and to be honest and even heard of it being built before all the delays. It has opted the profile of the venue far more than if it had all gone swimmingly!

Sorry the post I saw implied they had moved all their dates over.

No only the may dates for now.

How is it possibke to live nearby the building of one of the largest (or is it the largest) arena in the world and not know about it?

I can't fathom that, presumably they haven't been doing in silence under a cloak of invisibility 😂

Is it large? It looked quite small on the news. We were saying it looked like a coop superstore.

KitKat 1523 take that have moved the venue due to the problems.....think its moved to the other one??? Sorry don't know Manchester venue that well x

Certainly biggest in the UK and I thought they said one of the biggest in the world too

I am sure the co op are cringeing massively. They are only just putting Paul Flowers wbanker behind them.

Only the May shows not the June ones

Really? It’s been all over the news for absolutely ages the whole time it’s been being built.

It seats around 25k …..that’s pretty big

I thought I read it will be the largest indoor arena in Europe, but I can’t find the article now.

My goddaughter works at the maccies next to it - her and loads of her colleagues were taken on couple of months ago so they would be trained and up to speed in time for the grand opening.

What an absolute shambles it's been and yup the coop won't be pleased.

There is so much building happening in Manchester a few more cranes aren't noticed! I've seen the building go up but not really questioned what it was. Our skyline pre and post COVID is like two different cities. We also have several new venues (New Century and Aviva/Factory in the last year) already so one more (despite being so big) isn't a huge talking point.

They are certainly nervous about the potential for damage to the brand's reputation. But by the time they go through the legalities and sign off the costs of ending the sponsorship, the venue would probably be up and running. A few years down the line and the teething troubles will be fading into the background.

It’s not great… but I honestly don’t associate with the Co-op as a business at all. Couldn’t say whether I’m typical though!