The Double-A Texas League Frisco RoughRiders are in the process of finding a new naming-rights partner for their ballpark as the 15-year relationship with Dr Pepper is ending after this season. RoughRiders Chief Sales Officer John Alper said the team is looking for a deal worth $18M over 12 years, or around $1.5M annually. Plano-based Dr Pepper gave the team a strong local connection and Alper said that the club’s initial focus is going to be on companies with a major regional presence. “We are a big part of this community so we’re looking for a company that has a large presence here,” Alper said. “But we would be open to talking to a reputable company that may not necessarily be based here but has a big interest in this market.” The RoughRiders, who are working on this deal in-house, are looking to have a new partner by the end of the year, with all new signage in place for the start of next season. The RoughRiders could prove to be an easier sell than other minor league teams, as it received plenty of attention last year for the debut of its Choctaw Lazy River. Alper estimates the team got $2-3M worth of exposure nationally and internationally just on the debut of that feature alone.
PERFECT TIMING: The RoughRiders could stand to benefit from Globe Life’s naming-rights deal for the Rangers’ new ballpark, which is set to open in ’20. RoughRiders Managing Partner & CEO Chuck Greenberg, whose team is an affiliate of the Rangers, said, “We went to bed (Wednesday) night and there was a terrific partnership between Globe Life and the Rangers valued at $5 million a year. By lunch (Thursday), there was a terrific partnership between Globe Life and the Rangers valued at about $11 million a year. That is nothing but positive and underscores what a terrific value proposition we have to offer.” He added, “We’ve owned the team now for exactly 36 months and during that time we’ve taken what was always a strong brand and we’ve reenergized it.” Greenberg noted the momentum the team has received from renovations to the ballpark and some “innovative promotions to marketing … has made us a very hot commodity.”
