The NFL Cardinals are shopping naming rights to their stadium, but incumbent sponsor Univ. of Phoenix retains the title unless the team finds a replacement. The new agreement allows the Cardinals to market the entitlement. If successful, the for-profit school would remain a team sponsor. It has been the building's only naming-rights partner since it opened, and has nine years remaining on the current deal. The 20-year deal would be worth $154.5M if carried through to the end of the term. Univ. of Phoenix Senior VP & CMO Joan Blackwood in a statement said, "Like many organizations, University of Phoenix is constantly evaluating and updating our public-facing initiatives and partnerships – and this includes reviewing our marketing strategy. As the University further increases its focus on improving student retention, graduation rates and employment-related outcomes, and has less of an emphasis on growth, we’ve identified areas to realign our marketing policies accordingly." The Cardinals are handling the sponsor search internally. A team spokesperson said that there were no fees involved for ending the title sponsorship early (Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer).
PLAYING THE NAME GAME: In Phoenix, Craig Harris notes the Cardinals' stadium will "become the latest professional facility in the Valley to change names." The marquee on the home of the D-backs, Suns and Coyotes "all have changed in the last several years." The Univ. of Phoenix will continue to be the team's "official education partner," and it "plans to focus on educational success stories," such as Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald earning his bachelor's degree in communications from the Univ. of Phoenix. Blackwood said that "recent business challenges" for Apollo Education Group, parent of the Univ. of Phoenix, "had nothing to do with pulling out of the naming rights deal." Cardinals Exec VP & COO Ron Minegar said that talks "already are underway for a new sponsor." Minegar: "We will get the best deal, the right deal. We want to have the right brand affiliation." SportsCorp President Marc Ganis said that a new naming-rights partner likely will "generate twice what the Cardinals currently receive" from Univ. of Phoenix. But he also said that while the Glendale stadium has had a "great run in hosting big-time games, it now will have to compete with new stadiums" in L.A. and Las Vegas (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/12).
