Access Granted: Verizon Unveils MSG Partnership for Exclusive Fan Experiences at Sporting Events and Concerts

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.

Sports and entertainment fans will be seeing a lot more of Verizon this season, as the telecommunications company has been announced as the Official Mobile Wireless Partner for the MSG Family of Companies.

The new partnership will see Verizon branding and activations across the MSG portfolio of venues, which includes Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and The Sphere in Las Vegas, among others. Verizon will also team up with the company’s sports franchises, which include the NBA’s New York Knicks and the NHL’s New York Rangers.

Verizon customers, meantime, will get exclusive tickets to select concerts and shows at Radio City, Beacon Theatre, The Theater at Madison Square Garden and The Chicago Theatre. Verizon subscribers will also get exclusive access to all live events at Madison Square Garden that are part of the “Arena Concert Series,” and exclusive access to tickets for select concerts at The Sphere.

Customers can see a full list of shows and activations through Verizon Access, the company’s destination for tickets, presale access, VIP experiences and more. 

In a press release, Verizon calls this a “first-of-its-kind integrated marketing partnership,” that will not only provide exposure for Verizon across MSG’s portfolio of properties, but also offer fans a way to experience their favorite performers and teams in a whole new way.

Case in point: Verizon will unveil two branded hospitality spaces inside Madison Square Garden. The “Verizon Club” will be open for all Rangers and Knicks games this upcoming season, as well as select concerts and shows. The “Verizon Lounge,” meantime, is a brand new space being built inside The Theater at MSG. Both spaces will be open to select Verizon Customers and premium ticket holders to enjoy light bites and drinks before and during events.

“This is a landmark partnership for the MSG Family of Companies and Verizon, bringing together a diverse portfolio of premier global brands that share a commitment to providing exceptional experiences for customers,” says Josephine Vaccarello, Executive Vice President, Live, MSG Entertainment, in a release. “We look forward to offering Verizon customers exclusive tickets to events across our legendary venues in New York, Chicago and Las Vegas via their new Verizon Access platform.”  

“Our partnership with the MSG Family of Companies provides Verizon customers with premium access to the most iconic venues and events in sports and entertainment,” adds Nick Kelly, VP, Partnerships at Verizon. “This expanded collaboration will elevate the fan experience and keep people connected in-venue through the power of Verizon’s 5G technology.”

Verizon’s Sphere integrations actually began on July 4, when they presented the “Sphere Fourth of July Celebration” on the Exosphere – the wrap-around exterior LED screen of Sphere in Las Vegas.