WME-IMG has been hired by the Broncos to sell naming rights for Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos were not available for comment. WME-IMG officials said they expect to have a new deal in place for the '17 season. Any new name would mark the facility's third name since it opened in '01 as Invesco Field at Mile High. For WME-IMG, it marks the first NFL naming-rights assessment since the two firms merged in '13. The new naming-rights deal could potentially extend outside the stadium to a redevelopment near the facility, officials said. Some mixed-use projects tied to new office space, restaurants and residential units are starting to take shape along the South Platte River, which runs along the stadium’s east side. A large plaza sits on the west side outside Mile High. As part of its agreement, WME-IMG has committed to programming events outside the stadium. The opportunity to activate the naming rights partner beyond the building itself was a big selling point with the Broncos, officials said. The firm’s strategy is similar to WME-IMG’s deal with Hickory Street Capital in Chicago to develop year-round programming and sign naming rights for the Park at Wrigley Field, a 50,000-square-foot plaza next to the Cubs’ ballpark. WME-IMG Senior VP/Naming Rights Sean Barror will lead the effort in Denver in tandem with VP Todd Parker, who frequently works in the city selling advertising for its Regional Transportation District. Overall, WME-IMG’s naming-rights division has a group of a half-dozen people working in N.Y., L.A. and Chicago with support from the company’s global sales team. Together, they will pursue prospects in traditional categories, pending the Broncos’ sponsorship exclusives, as well as emerging technology and social media platforms, officials said. The Broncos on Wednesday did not respond for comment.
BRONCOS CURRENTLY OWN DEAL: WME-IMG’s deal comes after the Broncos purchased the last five years of the old naming-rights deal held by Sports Authority after the sporting goods retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March. Starting last month, the Broncos were set to make quarterly payments for the $19M remaining on the original 20-year deal valued at $120M, according to a report in the Denver Business Journal. The Broncos started interviewing naming-rights consultants in September without issuing a formal proposal. Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment and Premier Partnerships were among the other firms competing for the job. On their own, WME-IMG officials said they went through a formal review of its company and work with Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis and Senior VP/Business Development Mac Freeman. The Broncos earlier this month notified WME-IMG that it had won the job, officials said.
