MetLife Formally Becomes Corner Partner Of Giants/Jets Stadium

MetLife Becomes First Cornerstone Partner Of New Meadowlands Stadium

MetLife, Inc. has reached an agreement in principle to be the first Cornerstone Partner of the new Meadowlands stadium. As part of the deal, MetLife will have the exclusive naming rights to one of the four stadium entrances as well as one of the four main scoreboards inside the venue. MetLife also will become the official life insurance company of the Giants and Jets. MetLife worked with Van Wagner Sports Group on the deal; Wasserman Media Group represented the Giants and Jets. MetLife’s other sports-related deals include its three blimps, which provide coverage at PGA Tour, USGA, LPGA, MLB and NFL events, a sponsorship with the Yankees and the MetLife Pro-Am cycling team. The company also has a presence at MSG for NHL Rangers and Knicks games and does promotional work at select Cubs games (THE DAILY). Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources said that it was worth between $6-8M annually for 12 years (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 6/17). Team officials previously discussed "signing up partners in various major sectors such as telecommunications, automotive or pharmaceutical." Meadowlands Stadium Co. CEO Mark Lamping said that the categories "are not locked in, but he acknowledged that no other insurance company would be in the running for a major sponsorship" (Bergen RECORD, 6/17).