Orlando’s premier downtown sports and entertainment destination – and home of the National Basketball Association’s Orlando Magic – will be renamed the Kia Center.
Starting December 20, 2023, the Amway Center will take on the new name. Kia America’s partnership will include new indoor and outdoor signage, the installations of EV charging stations, Kia vehicle displays and the Kia Terrace, a hospitality lounge for the enjoyment of automotive enthusiasts and sports and music fans.
“The Orlando Magic and Kia America have been proud partners for several years and we share in the excitement of Kia’s success and growth,” said Magic CEO Alex Martins. “We look forward to our expanded partnership which allows Kia to drive its brand forward and deliver a direct, impactful message to our fan base and beyond using the power of the NBA. Kia also becomes a ‘Champion of the Community’ partner and we look forward to working together to positively impact the Central Florida community.”
“The naming of the Kia Center is another example of the strength of our partnership and provides us a year-round sports and entertainment platform for our fans,” said Sean Yoon, President and CEO, Kia America. “This facility is a spectacular asset for those who call Central Florida home and for those who visit this global tourist destination. Coupled with our naming rights of the Kia Forum in California, we now stretch from coast to coast.”
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What You Should Know:
- Orlando’s premier downtown sports and entertainment destination has been renamed the Kia Center.
- Kia is the official automotive partner of the National Basketball Association & Orlando Magic.
- The Kia Center naming rights announcement in Orlando coincides with the historic launch of the automotive industry’s first mainstream 3-row, all-electric SUV – the Kia EV9.
- Kia becomes an Orlando Magic “Champion of the Community” partner and will partner on impactful Central Florida community relations programming.
- The Kia Center in Orlando complements the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, stretching Kia’s association with first-class entertainment from coast-to-coast.
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Like the renaming of the Kia Center in Orlando, the renaming of the Kia Forum in Los Angeles in April of 2022 was a transformational step for Kia in the United States and an important part of the North American debut of its multiple award-winning electric utility vehicle, the EV6, as part of the company’s ambitious Plan S, or Plan Shift, strategy. Plan S is designed to help transform Kia into a sustainable mobility provider including new and exciting personal and business transportation solutions.
Kia’s southeast operation includes dealerships in Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Jacksonville. Central Florida has 11 dealerships and is the fastest growing Kia market in the nation.
Kia is recognized as one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2023 and was named the Most Dependable Mass Market Brand for three years in a row by J.D. Power. Kia offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles sold through a network of over 775 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*.
Since opening in 2010, Orlando’s downtown arena has become the community’s gathering place and has earned numerous awards, including being named SportsBusiness Journal’s 2012 Sports Facility of the Year; the International Association of Venue Managers’ Venue Excellence Award, which is bestowed upon facilities that excel in the management and operation of public assembly venues; and TheStadiumBusiness Awards’ Customer Experience Award. In addition, the facility was recently voted by fans as the no. 1 venue in the NBA for its game experience.
The NBA is a global sports and media business with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 214 countries and territories in 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of this past season featured 120 international players from 40 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBATV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.