Energy provider PPL has signed a 10-year naming rights deal for a new $177M arena under construction in Allentown, Pa. PPL Center, an 8,500-seat facility, will be the new home of the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and is set to open for the '14-15 season. Three Comcast-Spectacor business units are involved in arena operations. Global Spectrum will manage the facility, Ovations Food Services has the concessions and New Era Tickets is the ticketing provider. Front Row Marketing, a fourth Comcast-Spectacor unit, sold the arena’s naming rights. PPL also holds the naming rights to PPL Park, home of the MLS Union (Don Muret, Staff Writer). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but PPL Chair & CEO Bill Spence indicated that it was "less than" the Union deal, which was reported to be worth $20M over 10 years. In Allentown, Assad & Kraus report the money from the naming-rights deal "will go to the Brooks Group, which owns the Phantoms and will operate the arena under a 29-year lease." Phantoms co-Owner Rob Brooks said that the team "fielded multiple inquiries about the naming rights, but that PPL was its primary prospect." Assad & Kraus note PPL's name will be at "center ice and throughout the building." When an opposing player commits a penalty, the Phantoms "will go on a 'PPL Power Play'" (Allentown MORNING CALL, 2/22).
