Thanks to a new naming rights partnership, the iWireless Center is now known as the TaxSlayer Center. The new name for the arena, which is home to the Quad City Mallards (ECHL), takes effect on October 1. The deal, brokered by Impression Sports & Entertainment, has a total term of 10 years.
“We enjoy a very strong and beneficial partnership with the staff and administration of the arena so we’re excited and thrilled that they have been able to secure a great naming rights partner in TaxSlayer,” said Mallards president and general manager Bob McNamara.
The Center has been the Mallards’ home since the team’s inception 22 years ago. On its ice surface the franchise has grown into one of the winningest teams in all of minor league hockey. The Mallards, who are now approaching the start of their fourth season in the ECHL, the premier double A hockey league in North America, previously competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007; in the International Hockey League in 2009-10; and in the Central Hockey League from 2010 through 2014. The Mallards’ proud history has seen them capture the UHL’s Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league’s Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record. In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.
“TaxSlayer has experienced rapid growth in the Midwest, and we’re thrilled to expand our presence there through this strategic partnership,” said TaxSlayer chief marketing officer Chris Moloney. “Our company is about radically transforming the way people use technology, allowing our hardworking customers to spend less time on the things they have to do and more on what they want to do. We know our customers are passionate about sports and entertainment, and our sponsorships, including the TaxSlayer Bowl, are key to showing them what we offer and providing support to their local communities.”
The Center has hosted thousands of top name artists and events including Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, The Eagles, Van Halen, Cher, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan. The TaxSlayer Center will be leaping right out of the gate with a strong concert line-up including Chris Stapleton, Matchbox 20, Janet Jackson, Justin Moore and Sir Elton John in its first six weeks under the new name.
“Joining forces with TaxSlayer will help us broaden our exposure and bring major artists and world class performances to our community,” said TaxSlayer Center executive director Scott Mullen. “Working with an established financial technology company also has great optics as we market our venue within the entertainment industry nationally.”
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