In this week's "Sponsorship Essentials: Featured Deal of the Week", we're looking at the unprecedented deal struck between the University of Southern California and United Airlines. Announced at the end of January, United Airlines purchased the naming rights for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for $69 million over 16 years. This is a monumental deal, and we want to know what you think!
Dan Dillon is the CMO of Arizona State University with an extensive marketing background in the restaurant and consumer world. In Part 2 of “Sponsorship Essentials”, he speaks towards how he got his start, his experience in this industry, and how ASU is changing the way collegiate properties look at branding and sponsorship. With ASU, it’s not merely a transaction, but a deeper partnership. Looking at the way ASU’s branding and marketing is going, other universities may want to follow suit.
The naming rights industry has typically seen its world dominated by the same types of corporations again and again: automotive corporations, telecommunications corporations, and the big banks, among others. The result is arenas and stadiums across the United States bearing household names that are recognized across the country, and the benefits for both parties involved in those naming rights deals are clear. Recently, however, a new kind of business has stepped onto the scene and is taking the naming rights world by storm.
Naming rights occupy the highest point on the sponsorship pyramid and typically carry with them a number of major benefits for all parties included. This is why we will continue to see these investments increase across industry categories, sports and entertainment venues, events and properties around the globe.
Drilling for Oil….
Rolling the Dice in 2006, Lucas Oil purchased the naming rights to Colts Stadium in Indianapolis, Illinois. The Naming rights cost Lucas $122 million over a 20 year span. 6 years into this contract Lucas Oil “struck oil” as the Colts had made it to Super Bowl, to top it off Illinois won the bid the same year to host the event that then in turn catapulted Lucas Oil onto an invaluable yet unexpected Global Marketing platform. Lucas estimates this single event alone has increased revenue by $10 million and Lucas Oil hasn’t looked back since.
