Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, Fla.

Date Announced: Nov. 1

Owner/Tenant: Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment LLC; National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning

Terms: Undisclosed amount to Aug. 31, 2018

St. Petersburg Times Forum will change its name to Tampa Bay Times Forum, official Jan. 1, 2012. The venue has had a naming rights deal with Times Publishing Company since 2002. According to the arena’s Marketing Coordinator Jessica Eckley, the St. Petersburg Times is rebranding and changing its name to the Tampa Bay Times, “so our name change is a result of that.”

The company had a naming rights contract in place until Aug. 31, 2018. Times Publishing Company extended the deal an additional four years. The venue’s Executive VP for Communications Bill Wickett said, “The deal is extended in a matter consistent with the terms of the current agreement — they pay us annually like any other sponsor.” Extension of the deal came early because “with a big deal like this, as you get closer to its expiration both sides get a bit nervous about if the deal will continue,” said Wicket. "It’s been a great partnership which will have lasted 16 years by the time the deal is over, and I’m sure it will continue past 2018 as well.”

Included in the naming rights agreement is extensive signage throughout the building. The Tampa Bay Times will have its name and logo in the ice at the building. There is also an advertising trade. “They have an activation with us and we have an activation with them in almost every way,” said Wickett.

The conversion to the new name is expected to cost “several hundred thousand dollars,” said Wickett. New signage should be in place Jan. 1, 2012, the same day that the newspaper changes its masthead.

Eckley said that the rebranding of the name comes at a great time since there have just been “$40 million in renovations to the facility.” Those renovations include changing every seat in the building, adding a new organ that is connected to an LED system that lights up each time a key is played, and “two of the world’s largest Tesla coils hanging in the arena that shoot out real lightning prior to each Tampa Bay Lightning game,” she said. Renovations to the city building were privately funded by the owner.

Interviewed for this story: Jessica Eckley, (813) 301-6893; Bill Wickett, (813) 301-6875