Wisconsin Center has had one naming rights partner in the last 15 years, but three different names.
Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee has been a trailblazer in the world of naming rights deals. The convention center was one of the first buildings of its type to secure a naming rights deal when it opened as Midwest Airlines Center in 1998, which later became Delta Center.
“It was very difficult to find an original naming rights partner because there were no buildings that were convention centers that had them,” said Richard Geyer, president and CEO of Wisconsin Center District. “Now we’re changing the name very quietly to Wisconsin Center.”
The name changed twice throughout the 10-year deal (with a five-year extension), becoming Frontier Airlines Center and finally Delta Center, as mergers happened in the airline industry. Those mergers impact naming rights deals when they change the hubs for the airlines.
“The importance of certain cities to airlines has to do with where their hubs are, which mergers sometimes change,” said Jesse Ryback of consultancy Premier Partnerships, who hasn’t worked with Wisconsin Center. “With these enormous mergers that look like they’re going to continue happening, there could be a hesitancy for airlines to commit to long-term commercial naming rights.”
Geyer said that it cost $200,000 each time the building had to change its name, which the airline paid for as part of the contract. The total 15-year agreement had been for $15 million — $5 million up front and a flat amount each year after.
Wisconsin Center is interested in bringing on another naming rights partner; however, certain things must fit into place.
“The important thing is that they understand their commitment and what we’re trying to do here,” said Geyer. “We don’t want a name up there and then they leave after a year or two.”
The name Wisconsin Center will also stay with the building in the event of a new naming rights partner, leading a potential new name to be “Your Name at the Wisconsin Center,” Geyer added. “That way, that name will always be there no matter who has the naming rights.”
The building is looking for a minimum naming rights commitment of five years, ideally searching for a longer agreement. Though the previous deal was originally with a local company, the building is open to any company that is interested in the sponsorship, not just local companies or airlines.
That could work in the building’s favor since, according to Ryback, naming rights is “becoming a platform that a lot of brands that aren’t necessarily in the traditional services of airlines or insurance are starting to look at more seriously.”
“The market is a lot more open than it was 10 years ago as far as what companies you can approach. It’s just dependent on what the property can offer,” he added, pointing out that categories like beverages and consumer electronics are coming into the mix.
Geyer said that finding a replacement naming rights partner is more difficult due to the fact that the building is a convention center because, even though it was almost unheard of 15 years ago, there are still fewer convention centers than arenas and stadiums that have naming rights deals.
But Ryback said he thinks the industry will see more and more convention centers seeking out naming sponsorship in the near future.
“There’s a trend that whether it’s public transportation hubs or convention centers, municipalities are really in dire need of funding,” he said. Naming rights provides a new avenue for buildings to find partners to generate revenue. However, he cautioned that there may still be difficulties in securing convention center naming rights because it’s such a different proposition than the sports and entertainment arenas.
“There’s a different level of events being held at convention centers, and usually you don’t have the corresponding media attached to sports and entertainment venues,” Ryback added. “But it’s a market you’ll see continue to grow. It’s just a different type of purchase for different reasons.”
Interviewed for this story: Richard Geyer, (414) 908-6000; Jesse Ryback, (646) 741-3053