Your Name Here: Naming-Rights Agreements Signed, Ended In '08
It was a slow year for the top-tier sports leagues in terms of signing new naming-rights deals, with only the Penguins, Real Salt Lake and the Bobcats getting deals for their primary venues. Minor league baseball proved to be much more attractive to sponsors, as six minor league teams signed new agreements for their ballparks. Among sports venues whose naming-rights deals lapsed or were terminated in '08, top-tier teams in the Bay Area took the biggest hit, as the 49ers, A's and Raiders had deals lapse. The charts below list new naming-rights deals signed in '08, as well as those deals that lapsed or were terminated (THE DAILY).
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NEW NAMING-RIGHTS DEALS FOR '08
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|
VENUE
|
CITY
|
TENANT(S)
|
Auto Club Speedway
of Southern California |
Fontana, CA |
two NASCAR Nationwide Series events; two NASCAR Sprint Cup events |
| Champion Stadium |
Kissimmee, FL |
Braves (spring training) |
| Coca-Cola Field |
Buffalo |
Triple-A Int'l League
Buffalo Bisons |
| Coca-Cola Park |
Allentown, PA |
Triple-A Int'l League
Lehigh Valley IronPigs |
| Consol Energy Center |
Pittsburgh |
Penguins |
| Dale and Thomas Popcorn Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium |
Cedar Rapids, IA |
Single-A Midwest League
Cedar Rapids Kernels |
| Essar Centre |
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
| Fluor Field |
Greenville, SC |
Single-A South Atlantic League
Greenville Drive |
| Modern Woodmen Park |
Davenport, IA |
Single-A Midwest League
Quad Cities River Bandits |
| QuikTrip Park |
Grand Prairie, TX |
American Association (Independent)
Grand Prairie AirHogs |
| Rio Tinto Stadium |
Sandy, UT |
Real Salt Lake |
| SpiritBank Event Center |
Tulsa, OK |
NBA D-League Tulsa 66ers |
| Time Warner Cable Arena |
Charlotte |
Bobcats |
| WakeMed Soccer Park |
Cary, NC |
USL Carolina RailHawks |
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NAMING-RIGHTS DEALS THAT ENDED IN '08
|
|
VENUE
|
CITY
|
TENANT(S)
|
| Chevrolet Centre* |
Youngstown, OH |
af2 Mahoning Valley Thunder |
| Dunn Tire Park |
Buffalo |
Triple-A Int'l League Buffalo Bisons |
| Hawkinson Ford Field* |
Crestwood, IL |
Frontier League (Independent)
Windy City Thunderbolts |
| Knology Park |
Dunedin, FL |
Single-A Florida State League
Dunedin Blue Jays |
| Monster Park |
San Francisco |
49ers |
| Network Associates Coliseum |
Oakland, CA |
Raiders, Athletics |
| O'Brien Park |
Peoria, IL |
Single-A Midwest League
Peoria Chiefs |
| PaeTec Park* |
Rochester, NY |
USL Rochester Rhinos |
| Progress Energy Park |
St. Petersburg, FL |
Rays (spring training)** |
| RCA Dome |
Indianapolis |
Colts |
| Steelback Centre* |
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
NOTES: * = Deal was terminated before scheduled expiration. ** = Club moved to a new facility 80 miles south.
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