Mercedes-Benz on July 1 will become the new naming-rights partner for the AEG-owned arena in Berlin under a 20-year partnership. The venue name will switch from O2 World to Mercedes-Benz Arena. The deal builds on an existing partnership between AEG and Mercedes and was negotiated by AEG Global Partnerships offices in London and Berlin. It follows the '10 naming-rights deal for Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai (AEG).
TAKE IT TO THE BANK: In Jacksonville, Drew Dixon reports Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena is "extending the naming rights of the club level of the facility’s interior" with EverBank. The area will be known as the EverBank Arena Club through '18. EverBank "became the official bank of the arena" in '05. SMG Jacksonville manages the city-owned venue, and Dir of Sales & Marketing Alex Alson said that the price of the deal "came out to about $160,000 for each year over the additional three years, or about $480,000 total" (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 1/22).
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: In Gainesville, Robbie Andreu reported the Univ. of Florida's "much-debated and much-anticipated indoor football practice facility ... is becoming a reality." UF yesterday announced construction on a $15M indoor facility will "begin shortly and is expected to be completed in early September." The facility will "include a newly designed entrance to the baseball stadium and the football practice facility." With the O'Connell Center renovation project "slated to begin this spring, it will no longer be available for football practices" (GAINESVILLE SUN, 1/22).
TIME EXTENSION: In Phoenix, Jeff Metcalfe reports the TicketCity Cactus Bowl "will not be played at Sun Devil Stadium" after the '15 and '16 seasons so that Arizona State Univ. "can meet its stadium reconstruction timetable." A site for the two displaced games "is to be determined." The game between Pac-12 and Big 12 teams is "expected to return to Sun Devil Stadium after" the '17 season (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/22).
