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Florida Panthers' new sponsors generate more than $4 million annually, total more than $20 million

By January, there should be a JetBlue Airways tailfin on the plaza in front of BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, thanks to the Florida Panthers’ new sponsorship agreement with the airline announced last Friday.

Hugo Boss is outfitting the team’s television and radio broadcasters and even Coach Pete DeBoer. The in-arena host is known as the Celsius Girl due to the team’s deal with the Delray Beach company that touts calorie-burning beverages.

Despite not making the playoffs for eight seasons – the longest playoff drought in the NHL – and currently having a 5-9-1 record, the Panthers are still able to attract sponsors.

In all, the Panthers’ parent company Sunrise Sports & Entertainment has signed up 24 new sponsors for this season – for a value of more than $4 million annually. That’s on top of the already bursting roster of sponsor deals that total more than 100 – yes, that’s why so much signage! – for a value of more than $20 million a year.

The Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler signs that adorned the dasherboards and other parts of the arena have either been removed or covered, but there’s still plenty of advertising across the arena. New deals have been forged with Guinness, Lucas Oil, Mama’s Italian Ice, Bennett Auto Supply, Gran Thornton, Boar’s Head and HotelPlanner.com, among others.

SSE and Panthers President Michael Yormark is still hoping to sell the naming rights to the ice on which the team plays and to the team’s practice facility at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs.

POSTED IN: Florida Panthers (57), NHL (24), Sponsorship (60)

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Comments

good read thanks

Sarah, you are a great reporter but you're missing something here...ask Yormark how much of that revenue they are reporting is acutally trade? The NHL counts it as revenue, they get paid commission on it but it doesn't help when their internal beancounters do the books every month - which is why they owe the county so much money and want to keep borrowing from them. Do some digging...let us know!

I'll bet the $20 million the rake in in sponsorships is close to the revenue they generate from the ticket revenue. It is pretty incredible that in such a down economy and with a team that is so poor they could generate this type of money.

I will never forget the first time I urinated on a urologist's adverstisement inside the urinals at the BAC (they cover the scented disks)...

Michael hasn't yet sold the naming rights to the electrical outlet cover plates (Hello, Edd Helms) or the air itself (low level laser ad shot onto mist?) - other than that, the center is sold out. Even the elevator buttons have a Lexus L. Mr. Y is a master at selling sponsorships for a dead-end franchise. Sell the air Michael - I'm betting you can do it.

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About the Author

SARAH TALALAY
After a decade as a news reporter in New Jersey, Southern California, Chicago and South Broward, Talalay decided to trade in covering meetings about city government and schools for meetings about sports deals and stadium finance...
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