Major League Soccer (MLS) club Nashville SC has appointed French logistics company GEODIS as naming rights partner for what will be the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada.
The new 30,000-seat stadium, which is being developed at a cost of $335m (£256.3m/€305.3m), will officially be known as GEODIS Park. Excel Sports Management’s properties division sourced and negotiated the deal, terms of which were undisclosed.
As a global showcase for the company, GEODIS will receive prominent branding on the stadium’s exterior, interior and rooftop, including flagship signage above the main entrance welcoming attendees to GEODIS Park.
Additionally, the partnership features naming rights to one premium club and what are said to be several innovative programs to support the Nashville community. GEODIS will serve as the presenting partner of both a new soccer league focused on underserved neighbourhoods in the surrounding community and the ‘One Nashville Under Gold’ flag, a photo-mosaic with a collection of images representing Nashvillians from all walks of life that will be presented at every home game.
GEODIS has its North American headquarters based in Brentwood, Tennessee, and is a major employer in the Middle Tennessee area with more than 2,000 staff in the region. “At GEODIS, we are proud of our rich history in the Nashville community that dates back more than 70 years,” said Mike Honious, GEODIS Americas president and CEO.
“With this historic new partnership—and the first of its kind for our company—we will be able to use GEODIS Park as a platform to strengthen our commitment to building a strong community alongside a like-minded organisation who shares that same vision to make an even greater impact alongside one another. Ultimately, GEODIS Park will be the place where GEODIS, Nashville SC and our community will keep rising together.”
In November, Nashville SC confirmed that its new stadium will open on May 1. GEODIS Park will host Nashville SC’s first home game of the 2022 MLS season against Philadelphia Union. The opening date means that the stadium will be completed one month ahead of schedule.
Nashville SC joined MLS in 2020 and has been playing home games at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, while its new stadium is being built. The stadium will feature a 360-degree canopy, a 65-foot-wide shared concourse and a safe standing supporter’s section. Just 150 feet of distance will separate the last row in GEODIS Park and the touchline.
In addition to being the official home to Nashville SC, GEODIS Park will serve as a multi-purpose venue for concerts and community activities as well as a hub for Nashville-area businesses to utilise throughout the year.
Ahead of the opening of GEODIS Park, approximately 20,000 season tickets have been sold to date. All private suites, loge boxes and the stadium’s three largest clubs are sold out ahead of the 2022 season.
Commenting on the GEODIS deal, Nashville SC CEO, Ian Ayre, said: “We have repeatedly said that the new stadium will become the spiritual home of Nashville Soccer Club. The commitment of logistics specialist GEODIS as the naming partner and the unveiling of ‘GEODIS Park’ is a landmark part of the history and journey of the club.
“I am hugely proud of the incredible work that Will Alexander, our chief revenue officer, and the partnership team played in bringing this opportunity to where we are today. Having had the opportunity to meet with GEODIS members throughout the formation of this partnership, I can confidently say that their people, culture and values are very similar to those of our organisation and that makes them the perfect partner for this huge next step.”
Image: Nashville SC
Share this