Naming rights for XL Center expire; venue likely to change name in 2025.

[TJT]

It will be interesting to see if city and or metro area populations play a significant part in the naming rights for New England arenas. Worcester has the second highest population after Boston in NE but its msa is just fifth. Providence has the third largest population but it's metro is #2. Hartford has the eighth city pop but third metro pop.

Worcester (#2) 206,518 MSA (#5) 862,111
Providence (#3) 190,934 MSA (#2) 1,676,579
Hartford (#8) 121,054 MSA (#3) 1,214,295

 

[Hoophound]

It will be interesting to see if city and or metro area populations play a significant part in the naming rights for New England arenas. Worcester has the second highest population after Boston in NE but its msa is just fifth. Providence has the third largest population but it's metro is #2. Hartford has the eighth city pop but third metro pop.

I’m sure it’s the metro that matters. Hartford proper’s population is irrelevant. Boston is a similar situation on a grander scale. Huge market, relatively small population for the city proper.

 

[HooperScooper]

I’m sure it’s the metro that matters. Hartford proper’s population is irrelevant. Boston is a similar situation on a grander scale. Huge market, relatively small population for the city proper.

Also how many events at the arena? The more events the more the arena is being talked about, out in the press, etc. How many times a year is the XL Center used? How many people go there each year? I think that's just as important as the metro population. Maybe more so.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Also how many events at the arena? The more events the more the arena is being talked about, out in the press, etc. How many times a year is the XL Center used? How many people go there each year? I think that's just as important as the metro population. Maybe more so.

And another driver is the national exposure the name gets via tv and news stories. Whether a national/consumer products company would want that benefit will be intersting to see. The Travelers Center? The CVS Center? The Subway Center? Who knows.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

If the enlarged the arena, it could be XXL Arena.

Well played, it could even be the Husky House. $1m/year, drop in the bucket for Home Depot and its house brand of tools.

 

[CL82]

Have to imagine the Hartford arena is worth more than the Worcester arena. I'll be curious to see what the new deal is.

Value of this deal is largely derivative of the value of UConn basketball. That's a whole lot of impressions via the TV broadcast of the games.

 

[Austin316]

Can you imagine how pissed Friar fans would be in we started calling the XL Center “The Dunk” after Dunkin Donuts slaps a mega deal?

 

[HooperScooper]

Value of this deal is largely derivative of the value of UConn basketball. That's a whole lot of impressions via the TV broadcast of the games.

Only 8 games a year though. How much is that worth? Think about how many games the Celtics and Bruins play a year at the TD Garden compared to that.

 

[CL82]

Only 8 games a year though. How much is that worth? Think about how many games the Celtics and Bruins play a year at the TD Garden compared to that.

Well, it's double that if you include women's games.

Fully agree that TD Garden is significantly more valuable, but that's not the comparison being discussed. It was Worcester versus the XL center.

 

[Deepster]

Can you imagine how pissed Friar fans would be in we started calling the XL Center “The Dunk” after Dunkin Donuts slaps a mega deal?

Even funnier the 2nd time.

 

[Austin316]

View attachment 103438

Even funnier the 2nd time.

Love it!

 

[HooperScooper]

Well, it's double that if you include women's games.

Fully agree that TD Garden is significantly more valuable, but that's not the comparison being discussed. It was Worcester versus the XL center.

I don't know how many events annually the DCU Center has but they have no high profile sports. Their main sports tenant is the Worcester Railers, a minor league hockey team which is an affiliate of the Islanders.

 

[CL82]

I don't know how many events annually the DCU Center has but they have no high profile sports. Their main sports tenant is the Worcester Railers, a minor league hockey team which is an affiliate of the Islanders.

Exactly. That's why I don't think it is a comparable for the naming rates for the current XL Center.

 

[IndyLives]

The Calhoun Center seems like a logical choice. The impact Calhoun has had on BB and sports in CT for the past 40 years can't be understated.The guy is still a spokesman for UConn and CT. There are many stadiums named after people.

 

[HooperScooper]

Exactly. That's why I don't think it is a comparable for the naming rates for the current XL Center.

I agree. Somewhere between the DCU Center and the TD Garden but much closer to the DCU Center. I'll be interested to see what they can get.

 

[Palatine]

Worcester and Providence are suburbs of Boston. They watch the Boston TV channels and commute (or work remotely) to Boston (or the close in suburbs) for employment.

 

[TJT]

Worcester and Providence are suburbs of Boston. They watch the Boston TV channels and commute (or work remotely) to Boston (or the close in suburbs) for employment.

Worcester may watch the Boston TV stations but that is not the case for Providence. It actually has more more tv stations than Hartford.

 

[HooperScooper]

Worcester and Providence are suburbs of Boston. They watch the Boston TV channels and commute (or work remotely) to Boston (or the close in suburbs) for employment.

Worcester definitely. Definitely not Providence. I live around here and Providence is its own market. They don’t consider themselves part of Boston. They have all of their own Providence based TV stations (CBS, ABC, NBC and Fox). They don't watch Boston TV stations. Not many people commute to Boston or its near suburbs (just Franklin/Foxborough area probably) from Providence. I'm dealing right now with a Providence based tenant who is moving to Boston and they consider this a huge move and most employees who stay with the company are moving closer to Boston.