The Broncos are "not sitting on the sidelines and waiting to see how Sports Authority’s bankruptcy plays out in court," as they have "struck up conversations with at least a dozen companies -- some current partners, some not -- to gauge their interest in the naming-rights for Mile High Stadium," according to Alicia Wallace of the DENVER POST. Broncos Senior VP/Business Development Mac Freeman said, "Our brand’s connection to this market is incredibly special." He added, "Every discussion is different. You try not to focus on specific things, you try not to rush. You’re trying to find the right partner. You’re not trying to find the fastest partner or even necessarily the highest paying partner." Freeman said that the Broncos would "like to see a longer-term partner for the naming rights and the complementary sponsorship agreement with the team." Freeman said a five-year deal does not "build equity in the brand." Freeman: "You want the fans and the community to embrace that partner." He also said that he and the Broncos organization understand the fans "clamoring for no sponsorship arrangement, and for Mile High Stadium name to again stand alone on the Broncos’ home field." But he said that a partner is "critical for the future preservation and operation of the stadium" (DENVER POST, 7/1).
ON THE BLOCK: Wallace reports Dick's Sporting Goods "was the high bidder for Sports Authority’s name, trademarks, domain name and customer database, but the right to hang its own name on Mile High Stadium was not part of the package." Dick’s officials in an SEC filing on Thursday noted that the company bid $15M for the IP and $8M plus cure costs "for the rights to acquire the leases" (DENVER POST, 7/1). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Lillian Rizzo notes the stadium naming rights were "to have gone on the auction block Wednesday but remain available." Sources said that talks are "under way to extending the bid deadline" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/1).
