2004 In Review: New Facility Naming-Rights Deals

As we prepare to bring ’04 to a close, THE DAILY this week is presenting several charts for the year. The chart below details new facility naming-rights deals signed this year.

NOTES: Seven of the 23 naming-rights deals signed in ‘04 were from companies in the financial services sector. Three came from telecom. Again showing the volatility in the naming-rights market, four companies that signed deals in ‘04 were replacing a different company name on the building. There are still 44 existing or planned MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLS or WNBA venues that do not have a corporate name.

MINOR LEAGUE: Nine companies pledged a total of nearly $30M for naming rights to minor league stadiums while eight companies pledged a total of more than $25M for naming rights to minor league arenas.

SERVED QUICKLY: ES-O-EN Corp., which owns 56 Taco Bells in Idaho, Utah and Oregon, inked a $4M, 15-year deal with Boise State Univ. to put the Taco Bell brand on the school’s arena. Taco Bell joined Papa John’s as the only QSR in the U.S. to have its name on a sports facility.

SCHOOL DAZE: Texas-based Trinity Mother Frances Health System became at least the fifth company to put their name on a high school sports facility, signing a 12-year, $1.92M deal with the Tyler Independent School District to name their new football stadium Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium (SportsBusiness Journal Research).