The Phoenix Suns, of North American basketball’s NBA, have signed a new arena naming rights deal with local engineering company Footprint.
The team’s home venue will be known as the Footprint Center under a long-term sponsorship agreement.
The Suns have been without an arena partner this season after the previous agreement with Talking Stick Resort, the Arizona-based casino, came to an end last November.
The tie-up is timely for Footprint, as it comes amid the franchise’s first participation in the NBA Finals since 1993. The company’s name debuted on the downtown Phoenix arena during Saturday’s Game 3 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Suns recently finished a $230 million renovation of the 17,000-seat facility.
Arizona-based Footprint, which develops and manufactures sustainable products, is seeking to use the partnership as part of its initiative to eliminate single-use plastics.
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By GlobalDataFootprint will bring its food and beverage solutions to help the arena become carbon-neutral and single-use plastic-free.
As part of the agreement, Footprint has partnered with the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA and Spanish soccer club Real Mallorca, which are also owned by Suns owner Robert Sarver.
He said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Footprint to reduce the arena’s dependency on single and short-term use plastics by making Footprint Center a hub for sustainable products and packaging.
“It was important to us to find a partner that could truly make a positive impact in our community and on the planet, and Footprint is a global leader that is also Arizona-based and therefore shares our commitment to the Valley. Integrating Footprint’s plant-based fibre technology into our core business functions will mobilise partners and fans to drive collective and systemic change, in our arena and beyond.”
The Miami Heat recently concluded a 19-year, $135 million naming rights deal with cryptocurrency firm FX.
The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are among the teams seeking new arena sponsors for next season after their respective deals with AT&T and Chesapeake Energy came to an end.