US telecommunications giant AT&T has agreed a multi-million dollar deal to rename Cowboys Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
The US$1.2 billion, 80,000-capacity stadium will now be known as the AT&T Stadium.
The Dallas-headquartered firm will receive advertising signage inside and outside the stadium, which will be in place in time for the Cowboys’ season-opener against the New York Giants on 8th September.
The financial terms of ‘multi-year’ agreement were not announced. However, according to widespread industry reports, it is believed to be worth between US$17 million and US$19 million annually.
That value surpasses the US$11 million a year that Levi’s are said to be paying the San Francisco 49ers for naming rights for their new stadium, though the Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones acknowledged that the deal “is not the most in dollars that there has been for naming rights.”
In addition to the name change, the deal includes extensive technological upgrade plans intended to ‘deliver an interactive game day experience for fans like no other’, including doubling the capacity of the Wi-Fi network inside the stadium and improving the team’s mobile app.
“AT&T is an iconic American leader that has guided the path of communication in the world for more than 100 years,” said Jones. “Our stadium has always been about providing fans with an unsurpassed experience in the area of technology. With AT&T, we are growing our relationship with one of the world’s strongest and most innovative companies to ultimately provide fans with the latest cutting-edge technology for many years to come.”
“Dallas is our home town, and we’re proud to expand our successful relationship with the Cowboys, one of the most visionary sports franchises around,” added Cathy Coughlin, the senior executive vice president and global marketing officer at AT&T. “This is a terrific opportunity to further integrate AT&T’s industry-leading mobile technology with the premier sports and entertainment venue to create a world-class fan experience.”
In addition to NFL games, the AT&T Stadium will host a series of major sporting events in 2014, including the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic college football game and the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four college basketball championship game.
Image shows (from left to right) Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck, AT&T's senior vice president Cathy Coughlin and Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys – AT&T
