7-Eleven today said it signed a deal to become the naming-rights sponsor of Live Nation’s pop-punk and emo festival “When We Were Young,” reported the Wall Street Journal. “The pact marks the first time the live-music company has sold the naming rights of a U.S. festival, following its success with the likes of Coca-Cola Flow Fest in Mexico and Rockstar Energy Presents Reading Festival in the U.K.,” wrote the WSJ.
7-Eleven will reportedly set up a “hangout” area at the Las Vegas event, handing out “free Slurpee drinks in a space decorated to channel ‘early 2000s emo energy.’ But it will also see its name in lights on the 7-Eleven Stage.” The festival will also be called “When We Were Young Presented by 7-Eleven.”
“It’s our equivalent to naming an arena or a stadium,” said Russell Wallach, Live Nation’s global president of media and sponsorship. Title sponsorship allows brands to be “truly part of everything we’re doing—every aspect of marketing and promotion and media,” he said.
The retailer said the partnership is part of a larger strategy to "create immersive brand experiences at top upcoming festivals nationwide," including:
- Governors Ball (June 2025) – "Stroll down Slurpee Street, a full-scale NYC-style block party complete with product sampling and nostalgia-soaked design."
- When We Were Young (Oct 2025) – Explore the 7-Eleven Hangout, a brand-built emo-era hangout experience alongside the newly renamed 7-Eleven Stage.
- Rolling Loud (2026) – "A visual remix of Slurpee Street, celebrating hip-hop’s bold street art culture to reflect the hip-hop culture of the festival."
“Sponsor demand has been so high that Live Nation has started offering virtual partnerships for companies that missed out on or couldn’t afford to rent physical space. For example, they could pay to use official event photos in their advertising, without showing up on-site, said Wallach.”
Last week, the retailer announced new flavors in its Replenish line ahead of the summer and promoted the drinks with deals for customers. The new flavors include Replenish Slurpee Mix-Up Cherry and Blue Raspberry, Replenish Strawberry Watermelon, and Replenish Strawberry Watermelon Zero.
The retailer also launched its latest 7Collection line of branded clothing—Reel Convenience, “a bold, fashion-forward ode to retro fishing culture.” The line was created in collaboration with Lateral Vision, a Long Beach, California-based fishing brand, and “features a muted vintage palette with burnt oranges, washed greens and soft greys, paired with clever graphics of boats, fish, and classic nautical elements,” on t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and more.