The New Orleans Saints’ Superdome will have a new name in 2021.
Saints vice president of communications Greg Bensel told Forbes and NOLA.com that Mercedes-Benz won’t renew its naming rights to 75,000-seat facility. The company’s contract for the stadium name — the Mercedes-Benz Superdome — expires in July 2021.
“The agreement is not being renewed, based on Mercedes-Benz having other opportunities,” Bensel told NOLA.com. “Mercedes-Benz has been an excellent partner for our team, the building and our region. We could not have asked for a more well-respected global company to have as our inaugural naming rights partner.”
Mercedes-Benz will focus on its sponsorships for Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the home of the Atlanta Falcons and MLS squad Atlanta United. The German automaker was the first company to buy naming rights for the Superdome.
The Louisiana Superdome opened in 1975. Mercedes-Benz signed a 10-year deal worth $50 million to $60 million with the Saints in 2011. Mercedes-Benz signed a 27-year naming rights deal for the Falcons/Atlanta United facility. Atlanta is the home of Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. corporate headquarters.
The Superdome has hosted Super Bowls, festivals, concerts, Saints games, the College Football Playoff, an address by Pope John Paul II, the Republican National Convention, NCAA Division I men’s basketball Final Four tournament games and served as a shelter during Hurricane Katrina. The facility is undergoing $450 million in renovations. It is scheduled to host the Super Bowl in 2024.
The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, a government-appointed board that owns the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center, has begun its search for a new naming rights partner.
