The Los Angeles Rams will soon be playing in a brand new stadium, and it’s possible AT&T will have its name plastered on the side of the building.
According to Terry Lefton of SportsBusiness Journal, the Rams have offered the telecommunications giant a deal that would facilitate this arrangement. The Rams are asking $30 million a year, with a “20-year minimum deal being sought.”
As Lefton put it, “we’re told that AT&T has been presented with the deal and it’s ‘their move.’”
“Maybe they’ll call it DirecTV Stadium,” quipped Rob Yowell, founder of Gemini Sports Group, Phoenix, referring to the 2015 acquisition that made AT&T the nation’s largest pay-TV provider.
AT&T already has a naming-rights deal in Atlanta with the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but Lefton provided some solid reasoning why the company might be willing to branch out into a second huge deal.
“Certainly it speaks to both the margins and competitiveness within the cellular service industry. We’re also told that L.A. is a priority market for the telecommunications giant.”
The new stadium in Inglewood is set to open in 2019. The Rams, along with the Los Angeles Chargers, will play there during the NFL season, and the stadium will serve as a landing spot for many other entertainment uses. Many well off folks in Southern California, including Magic Johnson, are clamoring for suites, and the team is having no trouble selling out its season tickets at this time.