Key Takeaways
- Venue Transformation: Afterpay Arena, previously known as Qudos Bank Arena, has undergone significant renovations and officially opened on July 23.
- Payment Flexibility: The venue now offers attendees the ability to split ticket purchases into four interest-free installments through Afterpay.
- Major Events: Upcoming performances include artists like Tame Impala and J. Cole, showcasing the venue’s appeal.
- Research Insights: A study indicated that 94% of event-goers have missed live events due to upfront payment barriers.
Afterpay Arena — the Sydney venue formerly known as Qudos Bank Arena — officially opened on Thursday (July 23), marking the completion of a physical overhaul and the formal launch of the five-year naming rights partnership first announced in May.
The launch ceremony, held in the arena bowl, was attended by Afterpay co-founder Anthony Eisen, Afterpay VP APAC Mike Ryan, Legends Global COO for Asia Pacific and Middle East Peter Loxton, and Federal Shadow Assistant Minister for the Digital Economy Simon Kennedy.
Related
It was the first time the fully transformed venue was presented under its new name, following months of interior redesign and technology integration.
The partnership, which runs through 2031, positions the venue as the first major entertainment destination in Australia to offer payment flexibility across the entire fan experience. Attendees can now split ticket purchases into four interest-free instalments via Afterpay Pay in 4, and use tap-to-pay for food, beverage and merchandise inside the venue, powered by 150 Square Registers and 65 Square Handheld devices — the first full Square commerce integration at a venue of this scale in Australia.
The physical transformation includes a foyer uplift, two redesigned hospitality spaces, venue-wide wayfinding, and what the companies describe as one of the world’s largest transparent holographic LED installations.
“Afterpay now has a permanent home in the place where fans come for the moments that matter most to them,” Eisen said. “We’ve built everything here around keeping fans in the moment — from the way they buy their ticket to the last song of the night.” Loxton framed the deal as more than a signage play. “This partnership isn’t just a name on a building,” he said. “That’s exactly the kind of engaged partner we want beside us for the next five years.”
The venue draws approximately 1.1 million attendees annually and was named to Billboard’s Top 5 Live Music Venues in 2025. Operated by Ticketek Entertainment Group and managed by Legends Global, the arena’s naming rights move reflects a broader push by buy-now-pay-later operators into live entertainment, as promoters and venues increasingly position payment flexibility as a lever for driving attendance and per-head spend.
Afterpay-commissioned research cited by the company found that 94% of cost-affected event-goers have missed live events due to upfront payment barriers, while 74% said they would spend more at venues offering payment choice.
Among the first acts scheduled to play the transformed venue are Tame Impala, J. Cole, Khalid, Laufey, Robyn, Olivia Dean, Zara Larsson and Hilary Duff.
