NEW ORLEANS – In 2011, the Superdome and Mercedes-Benz agreed a 10-year contract, which will come to an end in 2021. At that point, New Orleans’ iconic Superdome will be given a new name.
According to Forbes, Mercedes-Benz will not be renewing their deal. The New Orleans Saints along with state leaders are working on new sponsors and expect a deal to be completed when the agreement with Mercedes-Benz lapses.
In an article by Forbes, it is explained that the naming rights position gives a company the opportunity to align with two brands for the price of one– the New Orleans Saints and the Superdome.
The Superdome enjoys some of the best fan sentiment scores as well as garnering more media mentions than almost every other stadium. According to stats from Meltwater the Saints have shown Forbes, NFL stadiums receive an average of 29,270 media mentions per season. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome receives an average of 40,064 mentions (27% higher).
Fan “sentiment for the Superdome is 78% positive, which is 51% more than the average NFL stadium.” Such high marks in both categories for a stadium is practically unrivaled in professional sports.
However, the search may not be that easy. According to Forbes, multiple conversations show that the Saints are asking for more than just money for a sign on the stadium. The Saints will ask the next naming rights sponsor to collaborate on targeted efforts impacting the Gulf Coast region, with an emphasis on education, innovation, environmental stewardship, world-class recruitment, sustainable initiatives and more. In return, they offer the next sponsor an opportunity to tell their story to the right stakeholders nationally, increasing interest and purchase intent of stockholders.
An internal memo from the Saints even mentions a regional example, a hurricane party. The idea is the Saints and naming rights partner host a Hurricane Preparedness Pep Rally at the Superdome.
Fans come out to hurricane season kickoff party, receiving hurricane survival kits in case power goes out. The next naming-rights company would have thousands thankful for their survival kits. They would even tell the story of the party where they got the gear to pass the time.
And along with the new name, the Superdome is currently undergoing a $450 million renovation, expected to be completed in late 2023.