The Palace of Auburn Hills, Home of the Detroit Pistons 

Since the turn of the century, large corporations have spent more than $5 billion on sponsorship agreements with professional sports teams in North America. And who could blame them? Why wouldn't you want your brand plastered all over stadiums and arenas with capacities of between 15,000 and 80,000 fans. Not to mention the notoriety these venues receive on television when live games are broadcast. Sports is big business in North America. 

There is only one NBA arena that hasn't sold the naming rights to it's home arena to a large corporation; Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks). Let's be honest, it's not that the New York Knicks haven't had their share of suitors. They have. But I'm sure the team's front office and ownership has their reasons for not forming a sponsorship agreement with a large corporation. Here are some of the most expensive naming rights deals in the NBA today.

 

Philips Arena, Home of the Atlanta Hawks

1. Philips Arena, Home of the Atlanta Hawks.

Philips, a Dutch technology company, purchased the naming rights to the Atlanta Hawks' home arena in 1999. The deal will pay the Atlanta Hawks organization $185 million for twenty years or $9.25 million per season until the deal expires in 2019. Philips Arena was also home to the city's NHL team, the Thrashers, until the team moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The Philips Arena sponsorship agreement is one of the largest in the NBA.

 

 

TD Banknorth Garden, Home of the Boston Celtics

2. TD Banknorth Garden, Home of the Boston Celtics.

TD Bank is a banking company headquartered in Portland, Maine. The company signed a 20 year naming rights agreement with the Boston Celtics in 2005. By the time the agreement expires in 2025, TD bank will have paid out $119.1 million for the naming rights or $5.95 million per season. The agreement is the fourth largest in the NBA. The NHL's Boston Bruins also play their home games at the TD Garden. 

 

 

The Barclays Center, Home of the New York Islanders

3. Barclays Center, Home of the Brooklyn Nets.

Barclays, a British financial services company, purchased the naming rights to the Brooklyn Nets' home arena in 2012 for $200 million. The deal will expire in 2032 and will pay out $10 million per season. The Barclays naming rights deal is the most expensive naming rights deal in the NBA. The NHL's New York Islanders also play their home games at the Barclays Center.

 

 

The Spectrum Center, Home of the Charlotte Hornets

4. Spectrum Center, Home of the Charlotte Hornets

After years of being known as Time Warner Cable Arena, the home arena of the Charlotte Hornets is changing it's name in 2016. Spectrum, a Charter brand that provides cable and internet services, will be the new name of the arena after Charter bought out Time Warner Cable. The financial terms of the original naming rights deal are still unclear but experts estimate that it pays the Hornets in the neighborhood of $5 million per season. 

 

 

The United Center, Home of the Chicago Bulls

5. United Center, Home of the Chicago Bulls.

United Airlines has owned the naming rights to the Chicago Bulls' home arena since the arena opened in 1994. The original naming rights deal expired in 2014. During those 20 years, the Chicago Bulls were paid $36 million total or $1.8 million per season. In 2014, United Airlines and the Chicago Bulls renewed their partnership for another 20 years but the financial terms were not disclosed. Experts estimate that the naming rights deal will pay the Chicago Bulls $100 million total or $5 million per season. The United Center is also home to the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.

 

 

Quicken Loans Arena, Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers

6. Quicken Loans Arena, Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Quicken Loans is an online mortgage company founded by Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Gilbert did not disclose the financial terms of the naming rights agreement, however, experts speculate that the deal is worth $3 million or more per season. You can also bet that the arena will be called Quicken Loans Arena as long as Dan Gilbert is the owner of the team. The arena was formerly named Gund Arena from it's opening in 1995 until 2005. 

 

 

American Airlines Center, Home of the Dallas Mavericks

7. American Airlines Center, Home of the Dallas Mavericks.

American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, purchased the naming rights to the Dallas Mavericks' home arena in 2000. The 30 year agreement will expire in 2030 and pays out $195 million or $6.95 million per season. The deal is the second largest naming rights deal in the NBA. The NHL's Dallas Stars also play their home games at the American Airlines Center. 

 

 

The Pepsi Center, Home of the Denver Nuggets

8. Pepsi Center, Home of the Denver Nuggets.

PepsiCo Inc, headquartered in New York, purchased the naming rights to the Denver Nuggets home arena in 1999. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2019 at a cost of $68 million total or $3.4 million per season. The Pepsi Center is also home to the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.  

 

 

Oracle Arena, Home of the Golden State Warriors

9. Oracle Arena, Home of the Golden State Warriors.

Oracle Corporation is a computer software company based in Redwood City, California. The company purchased the naming rights to the home arena of the Golden State Warriors in 2006. Oracle signed a ten year naming rights deal that will expire in 2016. During that ten year span, the Warriors are believed to have received $1.8 million per season as part of the sponsorship. The official financial terms of the sponsorship agreement are not known to the public. The Golden State Warriors will relocate to nearby San Francisco in the next few years after their new arena is constructed. JPMorgan Chase has purchased the naming rights to the future home of the Warriors

 

 

 

The Toyota Center, Home of the Houston Rockets

10. Toyota Center, Home of the Houston Rockets.

Automobile manufacturer Toyota purchased the naming rights to the Houston Rockets' home arena in 2003. The naming rights deal was worth $95 million over 20 years or $4.75 million per season. Competitors in the automobile industry have also purchased naming rights to professional sports stadiums and arenas in the United States, including Nissan, Honda and Mercedes-Benz.

 

 

Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Home of the Indiana Pacers

11. Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Home of the Indiana Pacers.

For many years, the Indiana Pacers home arena was named Conseco Fieldhouse. The venue was named after Conseco Life Insurance Co which is headquartered in Indianapolis. However, the company later re-branded itself as CNO Financial Group and Bankers Life Insurance is a subsidiary of CNO. The arena still operates under the original terms of the Conseco naming rights deal which was signed in 1999. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2019 and will pay the Indiana Pacers organization $40 million or $2 million per season. 

 

 

The Staples Center, Home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers

12. Staples Center, Home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.

Office supply chain Staples, headquartered in Massachusetts, purchased the naming rights to the Los Angeles Lakers' home arena in 1999. The 20 year agreement was in the sum of $116 million or $5.8 million per season. At the time, the sponsorship agreement was the largest in NBA history. The Staples Center is also home to the Los Angeles Clippers as well as the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.  

 

 

Fedex Forum, Home of the Memphis Grizzlies

13. Fedex Forum, Home of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Logistics company Fedex, which is headquartered in Memphis, purchased the naming rights to the Memphis Grizzlies' home arena in 2002. The agreement will expire in 2024 and will pay the Memphis Grizzlies $90 million or $4.09 million per season. Fedex also owns the naming rights to the Washington Redskins' home stadium, Fedex Field.

 

 

American Airlines Arena, Home of the Miami Heat

14. American Airlines Arena, Home of the Miami Heat.

American Airlines, headquartered in Texas, purchased the naming rights to the Miami Heat's home arena in 1999. The agreement will net the organization $42 million total when the deal expires in 2019 or $2.1 million per season. The NHL's Florida Panthers previously played at American Airlines Arena before moving into the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.

 

 

BMO Harris Bradley Center, Home of the Milwaukee Bucks

15. BMO Harris Bradley Center, Home of the Milwaukee Bucks.

BMO Harris is a banking company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company purchased the naming rights to the Bradley Center, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, in 2012. The sponsorship agreement is for six seasons and will net the Bucks a little more than $1 million per season. The Milwaukee Bucks organization are currently lobbying for a brand new arena to be built for the team in downtown Milwaukee.  

 

 

Target Center, Home of the Minnesota Timberwolves

16. Target Center, Home of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Target Corporation, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, has owned the naming rights to the Minnesota Timberwolves home arena since 1990 when the team began as an expansion. The original naming rights deal expired in 2015 but was extended until 2018. The original deal was rumored to pay the Minnesota Timberwolves a figure in the neighborhood of $30 million total or just over $1 million per season. Target Corporation also owns the naming rights to the Minnesota Twins home ballpark, Target Field.

 

 

The Smoothie King Center, Home of the New Orleans Pelicans

17. Smoothie King Center, Home of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Smoothie King is a smoothie food retailer that is headquartered in Louisiana. In 2014 the company purchased the naming rights to the New Orleans Pelicans' home arena in downtown New Orleans. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2024 and will pay the Pelicans $40 million or $4 million per season. For many years, the New Orleans Pelicans organization was unable to find a suitable corporate sponsor for their home arena. 

 

 

Chesapeake Energy Arena, Home of the Oklahoma City Thunder

18. Chesapeake Energy Arena, Home of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation is a Oklahoma City based petroleum and natural gas production company. In 2011, the company secured a 12 year naming rights deal for the home arena of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The financial terms of the sponsorship were rather unorthodox. During the first year, Chesapeake Energy paid $3 million for the naming rights. For every season thereafter, Chesapeake Energy would pay 3% more than the year before. In sum, the naming rights deal will yield the Oklahoma City Thunder organization more than $40 million when the agreement ends in 2023. 

 

 

Amway Center, Home of the Orlando Magic 

19. Amway Center, Home of the Orlando Magic.

Amway, a marketing industry leader, purchased the naming rights to the Orlando Magic's home arena in 2010. The two agreed to a ten year deal that will pay the Orlando Magic $40 million or $4 million per season. Amway also held the naming rights to the Orlando Magic's previous home arena, Amway Arena. 

 

 

Wells Fargo Center, Home of the Philadelphia 76ers

20. Wells Fargo Center, Home of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Financial services industry leader Wells Fargo acquired the naming rights to the Philadelphia 76ers home arena in 2008 when it bought out Wachovia, a competitor. Wachovia's naming rights deal with the 76ers began in 1994 and is set to expire in 2023, a 29 year agreement. The partnership is one of the longest running sponsorship agreements in the NBA. The NHL's Philadelphia Flyers also play their home games at the Wells Fargo Center.

 

 

Talking Stick Resort Arena, Home of the Phoenix Suns

21. Talking Stick Resort Arena, Home of the Phoenix Suns.

Talking Stick Resort is a hotel and casino in Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2014, the company purchased the naming rights to the Phoenix Suns home arena. For many years, the arena was known as the US Airways Center. The financial details of the sponsorship agreement were not told to the public.

 

 

The Moda Center, Home of the Portland Trail Blazers 

22. Moda Center, Home of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Moda Health is a health insurance company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The company purchased the naming rights to the Portland Trail Blazers' home arena in 2013. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2023 and will pay the Portland Trail Blazers organization $40 million total or $4 million per season. For many years, the arena was known as the Rose Garden. 

 

 

The Golden 1 Center, Home of the Sacramento Kings 

23. Golden 1 Center, Home of the Sacramento Kings.

Golden 1 Credit Union of Sacramento, California purchased the naming rights to the brand new home of the Sacramento Kings - the Golden 1 Center in 2016. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2036 and will pay the Sacramento Kings organization $120 million or $6 million per season. 

 

 

The AT&T Center, Home of the San Antonio Spurs 

24. AT&T Center, Home of the San Antonio Spurs.

AT&T, which is headquartered in Dallas, purchased the naming rights to the San Antonio Spurs home arena in 2002. The financial terms of the sponsorship agreement includes $41 million for twenty seasons or $2.05 million per season. AT&T also owns the naming rights to the home stadiums for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco Giants.

 

 

The Air Canada Centre, Home of the Toronto Raptors 

25. Air Canada Centre, Home of the Toronto Raptors.

Air Canada is the largest airline in Canada and purchased the naming rights to the Toronto Raptors home arena in 1995 when the arena opened. Between 1995 and 2015, Air Canada paid $30 million for the naming rights or $1.5 million per season. The Air Canada Centre is also home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. 

 

 

Vivint Smart Home Arena, Home of the Utah Jazz 

26. Vivint Smart Home Arena, Home of the Utah Jazz.

Vivint Smart Home is a security system supplier in Provo, Utah. The community purchased the naming rights to the home arena of the Utah Jazz in 2016. The naming rights deal is for ten seasons but the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed to the public. The arena had been known as both the Delta Center and EnergySolutions Arena in years past. 

 

 

The Verizon Center, Home of the Washington Wizards 

27. Verizon Center, Home of the Washington Wizards.

Telecommunications company Verizon purchased the naming rights to the Washington Wizards' home arena in 1997. The naming rights agreement is for 20 years and will expire in 2017. The financial terms of the agreement is for $44 million total or $2.2 million per season. The Verizon Center is also home to the NHL's Washington Capitals

 

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