The new deal will be for a 10-year sponsorship, instead of a previous deal for 16 yearsGETTY IMAGES
USC and United Airlines announced an agreement Friday that names the field at the school's football stadium, "United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum," according to J. Brady McCollough of the L.A. TIMES. The deal "will go into effect in August." Under the terms of a previous agreement announced in '18, United would pay USC $69M over 16 years to have the Coliseum "named United Airlines Memorial Coliseum." But that deal "came under scrutiny this spring." USC and United did not disclose revised financial terms of the agreement, but the "revised deal will be for 10 years instead of 16." USC originally announced the renovation of the Coliseum would cost $270M, but costs "grew as the privately-funded project developed." If United had "pulled out of the naming rights deal, it would have represented a major blow to USC's fundraising for the renovation" (L.A. TIMES, 6/8). The AP's John Antczak noted the new naming-rights deal helps "resolve criticism that placing a corporate name on the stadium would disrespect its history." The naming of the field rather than the whole stadium satisfies a "key elected official who joined with veterans in opposing the original plan to rename" the venue United Airlines Memorial Coliseum (AP, 6/7).
