Feature

Donor steps in at Houston venue as naming rights in Denver, Nurnberg remain unsold

US billionaire Tilman Fertitta will donate $20m (€18m) in sponsorship money to the University of Houston as part of an agreement that will secure him naming rights to the college’s basketball arena, the Houston Chronicle has reported. 

The newspaper, citing “multiple sources with knowledge of the plan”, claimed that Fertitta had landed naming rights to the arena, which is currently known as Hofheinz Pavilion. The arena is named after the late Roy Hofheinz, a former Harris County judge.

The university is free to raise funds for a new naming rights partner after having recently agreed a legal settlement with Hofheinz’s family to change the venue’s name.

The University of Houston announced last November that an anonymous $20m donation had been received, with the Chronicle reporting that Fertitta, who chairs the college’s board of regents, has only been revealed as the backer following the settlement with the Hofheinz family.

In other news, naming rights to two other venues have remained unsold. The home stadium of the Denver Broncos NFL American football team, Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium, will retain its current title for the immediate future.

Current partner, sporting goods retail store Sports Authority, filed for bankruptcy in March and subsequently put its naming rights up for auction. Reports suggest that as many as 12 bids were received, with none reaching the base figure.

Meanwhile, German football club FC Nürnberg, which competes in the second-tier 2.Bundesliga, has also been unsuccessful in its search for a naming rights partner for its home ground. The venue, previously called Grundig Stadion, will continue to be known as Stadion Nürnberg until a sponsor is found, with the club hoping to receive about €800,000 per year.

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