Changing Planes: Suns’ Arena Takes On New Name After Merger
America West Arena will officially change its name to US Airways Center in January
after the two airlines closed their merger in September, according to Craig Harris
of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. One airline official said that the Suns, who manage the
arena, will “more than double their annual naming rights revenues.” Sources said
that US Airways will pay about $1.8M in the first year of a new ten-year, $20M
naming-rights deal. America West, whose now-void deal was scheduled to end in
2022, was to pay $26M over 30 years, or an average of $866,667 a year. US Airways
CEO Doug Parker said, “We get brand recognition for the new name of the company.
Given how important the Suns are to the Valley and how they are known nationwide,
we think it’s worth a lot in terms of advertising dollars. ... The one thing that
troubled us was that [the old arena name] didn’t have the word ‘airline,’ and
many people didn’t even know it was an airline.” Suns President Rick Welts approached
then-America West CEO Parker “about a deal in March, a month before word got out
about a merger.” The Suns “believed the facility was more valuable” because of
a $67M renovation project. Harris reports new signs and logos will be installed
in the next 60 days, and a “Heritage Wall” will trace the history of the airline
(ARIZONA
REPUBLIC, 11/15).
|
Related Stories By Company
|
Related Stories By Sport
|
Nash Stars In New Ads For Vitaminwater
November 5, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Cox Explains Partial Outdoor Game Blackout
October 15, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
AutoTrader.com Titling Outdoor NBA Game
October 6, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Suns' Sarver Remains Optimistic About Future
May 19, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Suns-Nuggets To Play Outdoor Game in CA
February 20, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
ESPN Offers Holiday Hoops Coverage
December 1, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
NBA Franchise Notes
December 1, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
LeBron, MSN End Marketing Partnership
November 26, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Catching Up With NBA's Heidi Ueberroth
November 26, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
Bobcats Local TV Ratings Last In NBA
November 26, 2008 :
SportsBusiness Daily
|
|
