Columbus Crew, of North America’s top-tier Major League Soccer, have agreed stadium naming rights deal with locally-based fintech company Lower.
The long-term deal sees the the team's new home stadium in Ohio become known as Lower.com Field.
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The venue in the city centre opens on 3 July, and will have a capacity of over 20,000.
In their 26-year history, the Crew have had two homes, the Ohio Stadium and the Crew Stadium, which was renamed as the Mapfre Stadium in 2015.
Dee Haslam, owner-investor operator for Columbus Crew, said: “We are proud to partner with Lower in naming our new stadium. Dan Snyder’s leadership and vision align so strongly with the goals of the Crew. Lower is a world class company, rooted in Columbus, renowned for their culture and fully invested in giving back to our community. Lower.com Field will provide our players a home-field advantage and our supporters a best-in-class experience."
As part of the agreement, the Columbus-based company will collaborate with the Crew on community initiatives, and will serve as the presenting partner for the club’s Mini-Pitch Project, which aims to provide local youths with the opportunity to play soccer.
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By GlobalDataDan Snyder, chief executive of Lower, added: “We have nearly 1,000 local team members, have funded billions in loans, and have been named the top workplace in Columbus, and yet, we’re still relatively unknown as a company.
“So, this partnership, to some extent, is the coming out party for our brand. Very few companies ever get to name a stadium, let alone a brand new one, in their hometown. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity. On behalf of my partners and the entire team, we couldn’t be more excited to open up Lower.com Field to the city of Columbus on July 3.”
Existing Crew sponsors include OhioHealth, which has naming rights to the team’s training facility, and jersey sponsor Nationwide.
Meanwhile, Orlando City have extended their major sponsorship deal with Orlando Health.
The contract renewal will see the brand continue to serve as the presenting partner and jersey partner to the MLS side Orlando City, women's NWSL team Orlando Pride, the Orlando City Academy and the Orlando City Youth Soccer Network.
The deal prolongs a relationship dating back to 2011 when Orlando Health became a sponsor of the men's team for its inaugural season in the lower-tier United Soccer League.
Under the new terms of the agreement, Orlando Health gains naming rights to the men's team's training facility at Osceola Heritage Park and the women's team's facility at Sylvan Lake Park, which will be known as the Orlando Health Training Grounds.
In addition, Orlando Health becomes the official jersey partner of Orlando City’s eMLS players.
