IN THE BIZ SPORTS
Superdome Name Game The Dome has a lot to offer as it looks for a new name. BY CHRIS PRICE
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BIZ NEW ORLEANS
NOVEMBER 2020
I L LU ST R AT I O N BY T O N Y H E A L E Y
Chris Price is an award-winning journalist and public relations principal. When he’s not writing, he’s avid about music, the outdoors, and Saints, Ole Miss and Chelsea football. Price also authors the Friday Sports Column at BizNewOrleans.com.
are only a handful of other stadiums in the such a prestigious name was a great ride for world that host events of this stature, and the the “Old Gold Lady,” but the 10-year naming Superdome is one. A new corporate sponsor rights deal, worth between $50 million and for the Dome will enjoy being included in $60 million over the life of the contract, that coverage of the Final Four in 2022, the Super Mercedes-Benz USA has had with the New Bowl in 2024, and potentially additional Orleans Saints and the state of Louisiana is championship-level events. Matt Webb, vice president of corporate coming to an end. Last month, the Saints selected Oak View partnerships for the Saints, who is leading Group (OVG) — a Los Angeles-based global negotiations for the team told Forbes, “The advisory, development and investment fact that the Superdome is in New Orleans company for the sports and live entertain- plays a very positive role for any internament industries — to secure naming rights tional prospects. The respect and affinity to the stadium before the start of the 2021 New Orleans has on the international stage NFL season. Dan Griffis, president of OVG as well as the major national and internaGlobal Partnerships, believes a potential tional interest the Superdome gets due to the 10-year deal could be worth $10 million events we host are pivotal when discussing with an international company.” annually. As the Superdome’s main tenant, the Mercedes-Benz acquired the dome’s naming rights in 2011. It was the first time Saints also serve as a major draw. There are the stadium, opened in 1975, took on a 32 NFL teams, but only a limited number of corporate name. The German automobile stadiums – 30 – as the league’s two teams in manufacturer, known for cutting-edge New York and Los Angeles share fields in design and engineering, is also the name- their respective cities. As one of the NFL’s sake of the Atlanta Falcons’ Mercedes-Benz winningest teams since 2006, the Saints Stadium, opened in 2017, but it decided not and the Superdome have been featured in internationally televised prime time games – to renew its deal with the Saints. Naysayers argue a new deal will be including five scheduled for the 2020 season difficult because New Orleans is too small alone – multiple times during the regular a media market, Louisiana has only two season and playoffs. According to Meltwater stats provided by Fortune 500 companies (CenturyLink and Entergy, headquartered in the state), and the Saints, NFL stadiums receive an average the region has a small corporate base. But of 29,270 media mentions per season, while there are a number of major enticements the the Superdome receives an average of 40,064 building has for any organization looking to mentions. Even better, the Superdome has a 78% positive favorability rating, which is get into the naming rights game. While the Superdome is 45 years old, 51% higher than the average NFL stadium. In addition, the current $450 million multiple multimillion-dollar renovations post-Hurricane Katrina have kept the arena renovations to the stadium are the centerpiece of the deal the team and the state have modern and palatial. Forbes had high praise for the Dome in place to keep the Saints in the Superdome last month, stating “If there were a Mount until 2035. “The Superdome is one of the top leading Rushmore of professional sporting cathedrals, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in economic engines in our state and region,” the heart of downtown New Orleans would said Greg Bensel, senior vice president of be on it…. With each passing event, the communications for the Saints and Pelicans. Superdome adds to its star power, which “As we enter the first phase of this new renorivals that of other iconic venues like vation, the building has proven capable Madison Square Garden and Wembley over the last few decades to adapt and easily re-engineer itself to keep up, and in most Stadium.” The praise is well deser ved. The cases lead, in the landscape of new, high-tech Superdome is regularly the host venue for stadiums that have come online. And if you the NFL Super Bowl, the College Football couple that with the NFL-leading television Playoffs and National Championship Game, ratings that the Saints deliver, then you can and the NCAA Final Four: it annually see real tangible and quantifiable return on hosts the Sugar Bowl, New Orleans Bowl investment for a potential naming rights and non-sporting events including Essence partner.” n Fest, numerous concerts and special events. Experts at the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation say the international media coverage leading up to those major events is worth millions in advertising dollars. There THE MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME — HAVING