Naming rights enjoys a game-changing year

Part of the appeal is the impact it has on brand metrics, with research from AEG Global Partnerships estimating that naming rights sponsors achieve a 30% increase in brand awareness and a 20% uplift in brand consideration. And it doesn’t end there. As UKSA has noted previously, there is a lot more to a successful naming rights partnerships than banners and bunting.

Furthermore, it’s a deceptively dynamic sector – with new trends and innovations constantly reshaping the relationship between venues and brands. Here are a few of the key developments in the sector during 2025:

Profound shift for Olympics naming rights: Arguably the most significant news of 2025 was the decision by the LA 2028 Olympic organisers to allow corporate naming on some Olympic venues, breaking with the long-standing ‘clean venue’ principle. The shift opens up a new opportunity for brands and could redefine the economics of hosting future Games.

Under a new pilot programme approved by the IOC, qualifying brands can a) retain existing naming rights for permanent venues during the Olympics or b) Buy naming rights for up to 19 temporary venues used during the Games. To cite a couple of examples, the Honda Center in Anaheim (already named) will retain its name for Olympic volleyball. Meanwhile, Comcast will give its name to a temporary squash venue at Universal Studios.

There are exclusions to the programme, but the new model could raise hundreds of millions of additional dollars for the Games.  The big question now is whether it will be baked into future editions of the Games. Brisbane 2032, for example, is reportedly looking at naming rights on temporary venues. This will depend largely on the IOC, which historically has tried to keep a clear distinction between sponsorship and the competition itself. 

State-sponsored naming rights: Naming rights deals with state or municipally owned stadia are still quite uncommon – despite the ongoing revenues that could be unlocked for public services.

One country shaking up this state of affairs is Saudi Arabia, where King Abdullah Sports City has been renamed as the Alinma Stadium. This is part of a national trend towards sports commercialisation, with naming rights viewed as part of a wider investment strategy. Other countries such as Japan have also normalised the use of naming rights for publicly owned stadiums. 

Sometimes stadia are municipally owned, but operated under lease by a private enterprise (such as a football club). In these circumstances, the club typically sells the naming rights as part of its overall business strategy. Closer to home, Manchester City’s relationship with Etihad falls into this bucket.

A shift towards non-traditional sponsors. Some of 2025’s most intriguing deals have come courtesy of organisations not typically associated with naming rights. Everton’s landmark partnership with Hill Dickinson, making its new Bramley-Moore Dock venue the Hill Dickinson Stadium, is a prime example. Law firms have historically been peripheral in global sports sponsorship, yet this deal is one of the largest stadium naming agreements in Europe. The message is clear: naming rights are no longer the exclusive preserve of consumer-facing brands; they are increasingly regarded as tools for prestige positioning, corporate legitimacy, and global signalling.

In a similar vein, Affidea’s partnership with Ulster Rugby, renaming Ravenhill as Affidea Stadium, illustrates how healthcare players see value in associating with performance, wellness and community sport. Both of these partnerships demonstrate that naming rights are becoming a form of corporate narrative building, not just awareness building exercises.

Doubling down on community and culture: There has also been evidence that some brands view naming rights as a platform for community engagement. Durham Cricket’s new partnership with locally-based property and mining firm the Banks Group and Sale Sharks’ deal with Altrincham-based business compounder CorpAcq suggest a desire among brands to anchor themselves in the economic and cultural life of their regions.

In Tampa, Florida, a deal creating Benchmark International Arena includes a substantial community-investment component, with $3 million committed to non-profit initiatives. This model, part naming rights, part CSR strategy, signals that sponsors are increasingly focused on their social footprint.

Also in the US, the renaming of Minnesota’s Xcel Energy Center to Grand Casino Arena, sponsored by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, is a culturally significant milestone. As one of the most high-profile venue naming deals by a tribally owned business, it points to a new era in which naming rights can reflect cultural identity and representation as much as marketing strategy.

Temporary and modular opportunities: In Spain, Real Zaragoza’s dual naming-rights partnership with Ibercaja - for both a temporary stadium during redevelopment and the future stadium - demonstrates that even short-lifespan facilities can command significant commercial value.

There are a couple of key takeaways here. Firstly, that there is an opportunity for brands to tap into broader trends in stadium design, where relocatable or modular venues are becoming more common. Secondly, that naming rights deals can also be framed around a cultural moment (the construction of a new venue), not just the physical building. Associating with a club during a transformative period can be as valuable as the final stadium branding itself.

Multi-layered partnerships: 2025 also saw a continuation of the trend towards naming rights as a core component of broader commercial and technological ecosystems. The rebranding of Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center as Xfinity Mobile Arena, for example, is part of a multi-dimension strategy by Comcast to build out its mobile business while enhancing in-venue digital infrastructure. Naming rights here are the anchor point in a larger play involving connectivity, data, and customer acquisition.

Final Word

Naming rights in 2025 are no longer a simple brand-for-cash exchange. They have become sophisticated, multi-layered instruments for corporate strategy, community engagement, cultural expression and technological integration. Now more than ever, a broad array of stakeholders sees stadium naming as a way to tell a story - about who they are and what they stand for.

The entry process for the 2026 UK Sponsorship Awards is now live and includes a Venue Sponsorship category. The 32nd Anniversary edition of the Awards will include many of its usual categories (arts, sport, media etc), and also some notable innovations. The industry-leading event will be held in the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on March 24th 2026 and is expected to draw around 500 industry decision-makers.