The Florida Panthers have secured a new naming rights sponsor for their home arena, with existing commercial partner Amerant Bank stepping up its backing of the NHL ice hockey team.
The Panthers and Amerant Bank partnership began in October 2021 when the Florida-headquartered company became the first-ever official home helmet partner for the 2021-22 season. The following season Amerant expanded its investment in the organisation by becoming the home and away helmet partner for the 2022-23 season, the official bank of the Panthers and entitling the arena’s premium club area as the Amerant Vault.
The 19,250-seat arena has changed identity on five other occasions since opening in 1998, most recently being known as FLA Live Arena following BB&T’s decision not to renew terms after merging with SunTrust Banks to form Trust Financial Corporation in 2021. The new five-year contract will see the venue renamed as Amerant Bank Arena.
“After a comprehensive search with WME Sports over the past year, we felt expanding our experienced and successful partnership with Amerant Bank would be the best business decision to align with both our goals of delivering first-class customer service and serving our local South Florida community,” said Panthers president and CEO, Matt Caldwell.
“We are grateful to Jerry Plush and the entire Amerant Bank leadership for their investment and shared commitment to South Florida and to the Florida Panthers, as well as the governments of Broward County and the City of Sunrise who worked with us to ensure a premier partnership.”
Amerant Bank currently has four Broward County branches with another opening soon in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. It also holds an operations centre in Miramar, and recently announced a Broward County regional headquarters in Plantation.
Amerant Bank will continue their entitlement of the Amerant Vault and remain a supporting partner of the Panthers Kids Club and youth hockey initiatives. “Adding naming rights to the arena to the already strong and extensive partnership we have with the Panthers just seemed like the next logical next step for us,” said Amerant Bank chairman and CEO, Jerry Plush.
“In addition to showing our support and alignment with Matt Caldwell and the Panthers organisation, we are also excited to step up our commitment to the people and businesses in Broward County. We aim to be the bank of choice in the markets we serve and believe this is another big step we are taking to demonstrate that commitment.”
