Selling Out the Fans and Taxpayers

MLB Naming Rights Deals

NBA Naming Rights Deals

NFL Naming Rights Deals

NHL Naming Rights Deals

News Release

Selling Out the Fans and Taxpayers: NFL

Summary of Current National Football League Stadium Naming Rights Deals

Updated September 12, 2003

http://www.leagueoffans.org

League of Fans
Ralph Nader, Founder
P.O. Box 19367
Washington, DC 20036

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Estimated combined total of all current major professional (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL) stadium and arena naming rights deals:
$3.551 billion

Average of all current major professional (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL) stadium and arena naming rights deals:
$54.6 million over 19 years. $2.9 million avg. per year.

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(listed alphabetically by franchise)

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Arizona Cardinals

Stadium Name:
Sun Devil Stadium (1958)

No naming rights deal

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Atlanta Falcons

Stadium Name:
Georgia Dome (1992)

No naming rights deal

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Baltimore Ravens

Stadium Name:
M&T Bank Stadium (1998)

(PSINet's sponsorship was dropped in 2001 due to bankruptcy)

Deal:
$85 million over 17 years. $5 million avg. per year, expires in 2020. [8]

Sponsor:
M&T Bank Corporation

Profile: M&T Bank is the 18th largest bank in the U.S. operating more than 700 branches in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. [7,8]

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Buffalo Bills

Stadium Name:
Ralph Wilson Stadium (1973)

No naming rights deal

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Carolina Panthers

Stadium Name:
Ericsson Stadium (1996)

Deal:
$20 million over 10 years. $2 million avg. per year, expires in 2006. [1,2,3,4,5,6]

Sponsor:
LM Ericsson Inc.

Profile:
Ericsson, based in Stockholm, Sweden, is the world's leading maker of wireless telecom infrastructure equipment. [7]

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Chicago Bears

Stadium Name:
Soldier Field (1924)

No naming rights deal

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Cincinnati Bengals

Stadium Name:
Paul Brown Stadium (2000)

No naming rights deal

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Cleveland Browns

Stadium Name:
Cleveland Browns Stadium (1999)

No naming rights deal

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Dallas Cowboys

Stadium Name:
Texas Stadium (1971)

No naming rights deal

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Denver Broncos

Stadium Name:
Invesco Field at Mile High (2001)

Deal:
$120 million over 20 years. $6 million avg. per year, expires in 2021. [3,5,6]

Sponsor:
Invesco Funds Group, Inc.

Profile:
A subsidiary of British asset management firm AMVESCAP, Invesco operates an array of stock, bond, and money market funds. After losing a third of its assets since 2000, the company announced it will cut about 15% of its workforce. [7]

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Detroit Lions

Stadium Name:
Ford Field (2002)

Deal:
$40 million over 20 years. $2 million avg. per year, expires in 2042. [2,3]

Sponsor:
Ford Motor Company

Profile:
Ford is the world's largest pickup truck maker and the #2 producer of cars and trucks (behind General Motors). [7]

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Green Bay Packers

Stadium Name:
Lambeau Field (1957)

No naming rights deal

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Houston Texans

Stadium Name:
Reliant Stadium (2002)

Deal:
$300 million over 30 years. $10 million avg. per year, expires in 2032. [3,5,6]

Sponsor:
CenterPoint Energy

Profile:
CenterPoint Energy (formerly Reliant Energy) subsidiaries distribute electricity and natural gas to about 4.7 million customers in the southern US and Minnesota. To prepare for deregulation, the company has transferred its nonregulated operations to majority-owned Reliant Resources. [7]

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Indianapolis Colts

Stadium Name:
RCA Dome (1984)

Deal:
$10 million over 10 years. $1 million avg. per year, expires in 2004. [1,3,5,6]

Sponsor:
RCA Records

Profile:
Music label RCA is a unit of BMG Entertainment, a subsidiary of the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG. [7]

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Jacksonville Jaguars

Stadium Name:
Alltel Stadium (1946)

Deal:
$6.2 million over 10 years. $620,000 avg. per year, expires in 2007. [1,3,5]

Sponsor:
Alltel Corporation

Profile:
Alltell operates telecommunications services, local phone services, local-exchange carriers, wireless operations, long-distance services, internet access and paging services. The company recently acquired cellular systems from Louisiana-based rural exchange carrier CenturyTel for $1.65 billion in cash. [7]

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Kansas City Chiefs

Stadium Name:
Arrowhead Stadium (1972)

No naming rights deal

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Miami Dolphins

Stadium Name:
Pro Player Stadium (1987), shared with Florida Marlins (MLB)

Deal:
$20 million over 10 years. $2 million avg. per year, expires in 2006. [1,3,4,6]

Sponsor:
Fruit of the Loom (Company Bankrupt)

Profile:
Fruit of the Loom products include activewear, casual wear, and children's underwear. To trim costs, the company utilizes Latin American production. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway bought the bankrupt and struggling Fruit of the Loom in 2001. [7]

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Minnesota Vikings

Stadium Name:
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (1982), shared with Minnesota Twins (MLB)

No naming rights deal

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New England Patriots

Stadium Name:
Gillette Stadium (2002)

(CMGi's $120 million, 15 year deal was dropped due to bankruptcy)

Deal:
Financial terms undisclosed.* 15 year deal, expires in 2017. [3,5]

* Believed to be worth at least as much as the $120 million, 15 year deal with CMGi. [8]

Sponsor:
The Gillette Company

Profile:
Consumer products manufacturer The Gillette Company is a leading producer of razors, blades, batteries, dental care, toiletries, and electric shavers. [7]

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New Orleans Saints

Stadium Name:
Louisiana Superdome (1975)

No naming rights deal

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New York Giants

Stadium Name:
Giants Stadium (1976), shared with New York Jets (NFL)

No naming rights deal

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New York Jets

Stadium Name:
Giants Stadium (1976), shared with New York Giants (NFL)

No naming rights deal

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Oakland Raiders

Stadium Name:
Network Associates Coliseum (1966), shared with the Oakland A's (MLB)

Deal:
$6 million over 5 years. $1.2 million avg. per year, expires in 2003. [1,5]

Sponsor:
Network Associates, Inc.

Profile:
Network Associates is a security software company that provides antivirus, network management, and help desk software. [7]

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Philadelphia Eagles

Stadium Name:
Veterans Stadium (1971), shared with Philadelphia Phillies (MLB)

No naming rights deal

Stadium Name:
Lincoln Financial Field (2003)

Deal:
$139.6 million over 20 years. $7 million avg. per year, expires in 2022. [3]

Sponsor:
Lincoln National Corporation

Profile:
Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation which operates life insurance, annuities, and asset management subsidiaries. [7]

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Pittsburgh Steelers

Stadium Name:
Heinz Field (2001)

Deal:
$57 million over 20 years. $2.9 million avg. per year, expires in 2021. [3,5]

Sponsor:
H.J. Heinz Company

Profile:
One of the world's top food producers, Heinz produces ketchup, condiments, sauces, frozen foods, beans, and pasta. [7]

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St. Louis Rams

Stadium Name:
Edward Jones Dome at America's Center (1995)

(TWA's $36.7 million, 20 year deal was dropped due to bankruptcy)

Deal:
$31.8 million over 12 years. $2.65 million avg. per year, expires in 2013. [5]

Sponsor:
Edward Jones

Profile:
The Jones Financial Companies is the parent of Edward Jones (formerly called Edward D. Jones & Co.), an investment brokerage network catering to individual investors. [7]

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San Diego Chargers

Stadium Name:
Qualcomm Stadium (1967), shared with the San Diego Padres (MLB)

Deal:
$18 million over 20 years. $900,000 avg. per year, expires in 2017. [1,3,4,5,6]

Sponsor:
Qualcomm Incorporated

Profile:
Qualcomm pioneered code-division multiple access (CDMA) technology used in wireless handsets and telecom equipment, and in satellite ground stations mainly in North America. The company continues an aggressive push into China and South America. [7]

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San Francisco 49ers

Stadium Name:
San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point (1960)

No naming rights deal

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Seattle Seahawks

Stadium Name:
Seahawks Stadium (2002)

No naming rights deal

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stadium Name:
Raymond James Stadium (1998)

Deal:
$32.5 million over 13 years. $2.5 million avg. per year, expires in 2011. [2,3,6]

Sponsor:
Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Profile:
The subsidiaries of Raymond James operate securities brokerage, investment banking, asset management, insurance, banking, and advisory services. [7]

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Tennessee Titans

Stadium Name:
The Coliseum (1999)

No naming rights deal (Adelphia's $30 million, 15 year deal was dropped due to bankruptcy and investigations into accounting practices)

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Washington Redskins

Stadium Name:
FedEx Field (1997)

Deal:
$205 million over 27 years. $7.6 million avg. per year, expires in 2025. [1,3,5,6]

Sponsor:
FedEx Corporation

Profile:
FedEx is the world's #1 express transport firm. [7]

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Endnotes

1. ‘Naming Rights Agreements and Sports Arenas', Commercial Alert, 2000, http://www.commercialalert.org/arenas/namingrights.html

2. ‘Stadiums', Ballparks by Munsey and Suppes, 2002, http://www.sfo.com/~csuppes/NFL/misc/index.htm

3. ‘Revenues from Sports Venues', Media Ventures, 2002 (updated 25 September 2002, accessed 27 September 2002), http://www.sportsvenues.com/pdf/names.pdf

4. ‘National Football League', Sports Facility Reports, National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee WI, Appendix 3, Volume 3, Number 1, 11 June 2002.

5. ‘Stadium Naming Rights', ESPN, 2002 (updated 19 September 2002, accessed 27 September 2002), http://www.espn.go.com/sportsbusiness/s/stadiumnames.html

6. ‘Major Corporate Naming Rights Deals', Facility Manager, International Association of Assembly Managers, Coppell TX, March/April 2002.

7. Hoover's Online, Hoover's Inc., 2002, http://www.hoovers.com/

8. ‘National Football League', Sports Facility Reports, National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee WI, Appendix 3, Volume 4, Number 1, 16 June 2003.

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