Their New Calling Card: T-Mobile Secures Naming Rights To New Las Vegas Arena

T-Mobile has signed naming rights for the $375M arena under construction in Las Vegas. Terms were not disclosed, but according to an inside source, the agreement is for just under 15 years. AEG Global Partnerships sold the agreement for the 20,000-seat facility, a joint venture between AEG Worldwide and MGM Resorts. Genesco Sports represented T-Mobile in negotiations. This marks T-Mobile's first naming-rights deal for a sports and entertainment venue. The arena opens April 6 with a concert by The Killers and Wayne Newton (Don Muret, Staff Writer). In Las Vegas, Alan Snel in a front-page piece reports T-Mobile is paying "less than" $6M a year for rights. The company was "attracted to the arena because it liked that Las Vegas is a worldwide hub for live entertainment." The arena is the proposed home for a potential NHL expansion team, but even "without hockey, there will be plenty of sports in the arena," including UFC, boxing and bull riding. Top music acts such as Garth Brooks, George Strait and Dixie Chicks also have "already been scheduled." T-Mobile CMO Andrew Sherrard: "If the NHL comes, we would obviously love it. It would be nice icing on the cake, but it was not a driver [for the deal]." Snel notes T-Mobile plans to use the naming rights "for special deals for its customers, such as a fast-track VIP entrance, seat upgrade opportunities, ticket sales before the general public can purchase seats, charging stations and premium event experiences" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/7). USA TODAY's Eli Blumenthal notes the move is "surprising for T-Mobile, given its self proclaimed 'Uncarrier' branding." With the deal, the company is "following stadium naming moves by its wireless rivals," AT&T and Verizon (USATODAY.com, 1/7).