Qwest Communications spokesperson Danny Pate said that all company properties, including Qwest Field in Seattle, "will transition to the CenturyLink name and brand" after the Louisiana-based telecommunications company closes its $22B merger with Qwest on April 1, according to Ross Boettcher of the Omaha WORLD-HERALD. By the end of August, Qwest Center Omaha "will don the name of CenturyLink." The company's name and "green sunburst logo will replace everything ... that currently carries the name 'Qwest' and its 'Q' emblem." CenturyLink will pay for the "expansive branding makeover." Denver-based Qwest inked a 15-year naming-rights deal for the Omaha arena in '03. A Qwest spokesperson said that "post-merger, the two telecommunications companies will undergo a strategic branding initiative with advertising and educational material for consumers who aren't familiar with CenturyLink" (Omaha WORLD-HERALD, 3/24). At presstime, THE DAILY had been unable to reach the Seahawks for comment regarding a potential Qwest Field name change.
QWEST FOR DOLLARS: Qwest’s naming-rights deal in Omaha is worth a total of $14M, which is the top naming-rights deal among all minor league arenas. The company also has rights to Qwest Arena in Boise, a deal which does not expire until ’15. The company’s deal for the Seahawks and Sounders venue is worth an estimated total of $60-100M and expires sometime between ’19-24 (THE DAILY).
