The Carolina Panthers expect to play the 2003 season under the Ericsson banner after the team's nearly yearlong search for a new stadium naming-rights sponsor has proved unsuccessful.
Team officials said the search is continuing, but the market has proven sluggish.
"At this point in time, it would be extremely difficult to change the name this year," said Panthers President Mark Richardson.
Ericsson has a contract for this year and next season, but the telecommunications conglomerate, battered by declining business and intense competition, hoped to leave its contract early.
The Panthers and Ericsson agreed last fall to allow the team to begin searching for a replacement naming-rights partner. The Panthers hired Muhleman Marketing Inc./IMG to lead the name search.
Ericsson pays $2.7 million annually for naming rights to the 73,250-seat stadium under terms of its current nine-year deal with the Panthers. The company has been the stadium's naming partner since the venue opened in 1996.
The Panthers, who own the stadium, may strengthen their sales pitch with additional events at the venue. Ericsson Stadium hosted its first college football bowl game last December, and earlier this month Charlotte city officials began lobbying the Atlantic Coast Conference for the right to host an annual conference championship game, to be played at the stadium.
"Something like an ACC title game could carry a lot of weight," said David Cope, principal at Washington-based consulting firm Gilco Sports. "You want to offer as many crown jewels as you can."
Erik Spanberg writes for The Business Journal in Charlotte.
