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Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, became the first professional sports stadium to ban cash when it did so in 2019. Now, Steve Cannon, CEO of AMB Group, is urging other professional sports stadiums to follow suit. The news came following an e-seminar hosted by AMB Group that was attended by more than 130 professional sports teams and 40 college teams. According to Cannon, Mercedes-Benz Stadium going cashless was originally motivated by the need to shorten wait times at points of sale and improve customer service. However, the Coronavirus scare will likely encourage other professional sports venues to follow suit due to fear over the transport of germs via cash. 

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Amid the ongoing Coronavirus scare, the nation of Canada closed its borders on March 21 and immediately implemented the Quarantine Act. The legislation requires screening travelers at the Canadian/U.S. border and an additional 14 days of isolation, even when no Coronavirus symptoms are shown. With a proposal for a Major League Baseball season that would begin in July, the Toronto Blue Jays may be required to play their home games at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida. TD Ballpark serves as the Blue Jay’s home stadium during spring training.

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Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company has accepted a $35 million incentive to relocate their headquarters to nearby Stanly County, North Carolina. The move could provide the Carolina Panthers and owner David Tepper with 55 acres for a new home stadium in Uptown Charlotte. Since Tepper’s acquisition of the Carolina Panthers in 2018, new stadium talks have taken center stage. 

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Construction crews are continuing to work on the SoFi Stadium site in Inglewood, California despite the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. Nonessential team members involved with the construction project have been ordered to work from home for the time being. The stadium is still on schedule to open in the fall when the 2020 NFL season begins, and will host Super Bowl LVI in 2022; even if the stadium's construction plans are delayed. In the event that construction is delayed, SoFi Stadium will debut during the 2021 NFL season. However, that scenario would leave the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers without a home for the 2020 NFL season. 

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Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, has agreed to purchase Inglewood, California’s The Forum for $400 million. The Forum currently serves as a music venue, and was home to both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings from 1967 to 1999. The acquisition was made via a newly formed partnership between Steve Ballmer and Dennis Wong called CAPSS, LLC. Dennis Wong currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers.

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CenturyLink Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks and XFL’s Seattle Dragons, will no longer accept cash beginning March 2020. The decision is part of an effort to “boost the guest experience” by shortening lines at points of sale like merchandise stands and concession stands. CenturyLink Field will welcome credit and debit cards, as well as prepaid cards that can be loaded with cash at ten ReadySTATION kiosks located throughout the stadium.

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Along with Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals), Miller Park was perhaps the most appropriate name for the Milwaukee Brewers and their home stadium in America’s beer capital. However, Miller Park will be changing it’s name to American Family Field in 2021. The current naming rights agreement with Miller Brewing Company was first signed in 2001 and is set to expire at the end of the 2020 Major League Baseball season. As one could imagine, many Milwaukee Brewers fans were disappointed when they received news of the name change.

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Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, will see a lot of changes over the next two seasons. Not only will the stadium be renamed to American Family Field in 2021, but the stadium will also be adding two new social areas for fans in 2020; Miller Lite Landing and Terrapin Beer Company Bar. The announcement follows an extension of the partnership between the Milwaukee Brewers and Molson Coors Beverage Company. Molson Coors Beverage Company will continue to be the official beer sponsor of the Milwaukee Brewers despite the stadium’s future name change.

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The Carolina Panthers recently announced that the organization will be removing more than 900 seats from the west end zone to make room for 14 field level bunker suites. The construction of the bunker suites are expected to be completed by the time the 2020 NFL season kicks off, and will be able to accommodate 12+ guests. The Carolina Panthers did not release the pricing and availability of the bunker suites to the public. 

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The Tampa Bay Rays will no longer be accepting PDF tickets and paper tickets at Tropicana Field when the 2020 Major League Baseball season begins. Baseball fans will instead be required to download the MLB ballpark app to a mobile device in order to gain entry into Tropicana Field. During the 2019 Major League Baseball season, Tropicana Field welcomed both paper tickets and mobile tickets. Most Major League Baseball teams are taking similar measures to ensure that baseball fans have the safest and most convenient way of accessing their tickets.

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Lookout Landing is an outdoor terrace located above T-Mobile Park’s left field foul pole on the stadium’s view level. The area is being rebranded and will be changing it’s name to the Trident Deck. The Trident Deck will provide Seattle Mariners fans with beautiful views of both the playing field and downtown Seattle in the distance. 

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The Sacramento Kings recently unveiled a fan rewards program called the ‘Royalty Pass’. The Royalty Pass will provide Sacramento Kings season ticket holders with discounts on food and soft drinks at the Golden 1 Center. In honor of the Sacramento Kings’ 35th season in Sacramento, season ticket holders will receive 35% off of Local Eats stands throughout the Golden 1 Center in 2020.

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The Anaheim Ducks, Anaheim Arena Management, and American Honda Motor Co. have extended the naming rights agreement for the Honda Center through the 2031 NHL season. The previous naming rights agreement was a fifteen year agreement that commenced in October 2006. The naming rights agreement provides Honda with signage on the exterior of the arena, integration in all forms of media, freeway marquee placement, and Honda car displays outside of the arena. 

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The Wells Fargo Center’s club level will receive a major transformation this summer when the club level sections are converted into premium seating areas that will accommodate 1,500 guests. The transformation will include the addition of three premium seating areas, two of which will be named Club Loge and Club Premier. The remodeled club level will follow an open concept that spans 13,000 square feet, and will offer upscale dining options and high-end amenities to guests.

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The Kansas City Chiefs recently completed a $12 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium; the team’s home stadium since 1972. The most recent improvements included replacing all of the upper level seats, weather-proofing the stadium’s concrete, installing cup holders on the upper level, and updating the scoreboard in the west end zone (upgraded resolution and HDR technology). The upcoming renovations will include replacing all of the stadium’s lower level seats, and updating the scoreboard in the east end zone.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are reducing the prices of more than 300 concession items at Amalie Arena (including alcohol) by an average of 15%. Among the items that will see the largest decrease in price include soft pretzels (26%), popcorn (26%), bottled water (25%), and bottled Pepsi products (21%). The Tampa Bay Lightning organization are making these price reductions in accordance with the Cur(ate) TPA initiative to improve the food and beverage experience at Amalie Arena. Cur(ate) TPA is a culinary experience that showcases local food and beverage options.

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The New York Yankees are not yet done enhancing the fan experience at Yankee Stadium. The organization recently announced that they will be adding two new social gathering areas to Yankee Stadium’s 200 level; Stella Artois Landing, and the Michelob Ultra Clubhouse. Stella Artois Landing will span sections 232A and 232B in the stadium’s left field corner. The Michelob Ultra Clubhouse will span sections 207 and 208 in the stadium's right field corner. 

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The Green Bay Packers have partnered with Daktronics to install nine new LED video walls at Lambeau Field. Six of the video walls will be installed throughout Lambeau Field including two in the concourse atriums, and four in the Legends Club. Three other video walls will be added at Rockwood Terrace at Titletown. 

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The Toronto Blue Jays will be extending the protective netting at the Rogers Centre even further for the 2020 Major League Baseball season. The new netting system will extend from home plate to section 113C on the 1st base side, and section 130C on the 3rd base side. The netting system will measure 9.1 meters in height down each baseline; the same height as the netting behind home plate during previous seasons.

The Amway Center may be located in one of the NBA’s smallest market cities in Orlando, Florida. However, the Amway Center is a big market venue, and is one of the most modern arenas in the NBA. With excellent proximity to the thriving Church Street area of downtown Orlando, the Amway Center and the Orlando Magic will deliver an NBA experience you won’t forget. Our staff wanted to provide a thorough breakdown of the Amway Center seating chart to help basketball fans decide where to sit before purchasing their Orlando Magic tickets.