Arena Digest Hosting the Greatest Shows on Earth

The decision by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board to purchase naming rights to New Orleans Arena is drawing criticism from state legislators. The arena is home to the New Orleans Hornets (NBA). The board is using money from a $30-million settlement account relating to the BP oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Some state legislators ... Read More »

{jathumbnail off} The home of the Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) will have a new name and a new look for the 2011-2012 season (if it happens), as Chesapeake Energy buys naming rights to the arena. The deal for Chesapeake Energy Arena is an extension of an existing relationship between the pair, as Chesapeake is one of the Thunder’s five Founding ... Read More »

Dunkin’ Donuts Center will keep its name for another ten years, as the purveyor of sugary delights and the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority signed an extension to their naming-rights deal at the home of the Providence Bruins (AHL). Dunkin’ Donuts will pay $425,000 annually for naming rights, sponsorship and advertising at The Dunk. In addition, the firm will promote ... Read More »

Despite some successful events and a main tenant that draws well, Missouri State University is struggling to avoid losses at JQH Arena. One solution: beer sales. The problem for MSU officials: the arena breaks even operationally, but there’s not enough revenue for debt service. The $67-million arena was built after John Q. Hammons stepped up with a $30-million gift, but ... Read More »

With American Airlines Arena and American Airlines Center hosting all games in the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, there’s one big winner here: American Airlines. Of course, this isn’t the first time American Airlines pulled off the unlikely coup: the two teams met in the 2006 NBA Finals, giving the airline the same sort of exposure. ... Read More »

{jathumbnail off} Canadian media giant Quebecor is making public its financial commitment to a new Quebec City arena, and it’s pretty substantial: between $110 million and $200 million, depending on whether the facility lands an NHL team. The funding commitment is in two areas and on two levels. First, there’s a baseline commitment of $33 million for arena naming rights; ... Read More »

It’s a much simpler deal than many anticipated, as Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume and Quebec Premier Jean Charest today announced the city and the province would split the cost of a new NHL-level 18,000-seat arena, with the hard cost of the project capped at $400 million. The announce came after months of speculation about how a new arena would ... Read More »

The Conseco Fieldhouse name will live on despite the brand disappearing from the marketplace, as officials with CNO Financial Group — the new name for Conseco — decide to keep the old name for now. The firm is 12 years into a 20-year, $40-million naming-rights deal for the home of the Indiana Pacers (NBA). The firm went through the name ... Read More »

The new home of the Bemidji State Beavers has a new name, finally, as the former Bemidji Regional Events Center became The Sanford Center after a long-awaited naming-rights deal was finally closed. Sanford Health Systems is paying $200,000 annually over the next 10 years for the naming rights — far more than the $50,000-$100,000 per year the city was expected ... Read More »

The rumors were true: the name of the home of the Calgary Flames (NHL) and Calgary Hitmen (WHL) is now Scotiabank Saddledome, as the banking giant closes on a new naming-rights deal. “We are delighted to be taking a new step in our partnership with the Calgary Flames, an integral part of this city, the province and one of Canada’s ... Read More »