Sports Illustrated signed a 13-year naming rights agreement for the New York Red Bulls' stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, replacing Red Bull Arena branding that stood since the venue opened in 2010. The deal marks the first time a legacy sports media brand has taken primary naming rights on an MLS facility. Financial terms were not disclosed. The stadium will be called Sports Illustrated Stadium.
Red Bull purchased the club in 2006 for approximately $25 million and built the 25,000-seat venue for $200 million. The energy drink company's exit from stadium naming follows a pattern: Red Bull maintains team ownership and jersey branding but monetizes the venue nameplate separately. The move generates new revenue without diluting team identity, which remains Red Bull New York across broadcast and kit.
Sports Illustrated's parent company, Minute Media, acquired the brand's assets in 2024 after Arena Group's bankruptcy. The naming rights deal positions SI as a venue partner rather than pure media property, following Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland as brands using stadium naming to build consumer presence beyond their core business. For MLS, the deal adds a recognizable American media name to a league that has tilted heavily toward financial services and telecom sponsors at the venue level. Lower.com Field in Columbus, Audi Field in Washington, and PayPal Park in San Jose represent the current naming landscape.
The Red Bulls play in the New York metro market but lack the brand momentum of NYCFC, which plays at Citi Field and Yankee Stadium while planning a permanent venue in Queens. Red Bull Arena's location in Harrison, accessible by PATH train, has strong attendance fundamentals—the club averaged 18,247 per match in 2024, second in MLS's Eastern Conference. The naming deal implies Minute Media sees value in 168 regular-season home matches over the contract term, plus playoffs and potential international friendlies.
The structure likely includes annual rights fees escalating over the contract, plus activation commitments around digital content, magazine distribution at the venue, and SI branding across club sponsor assets. Naming rights deals in MLS typically range from $2 million to $4 million annually for mid-tier markets; 13 years suggests a total contract value in the $30 million to $50 million range, though Harrison's proximity to Manhattan could push the number higher.
Watch whether Sports Illustrated uses the stadium for tentpole editorial content—cover shoots, documentary production, athlete interviews tied to the SI brand's archive. The club's next kit sponsor renewal comes in 2026, when current partner Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield's deal expires. Red Bull's willingness to separate stadium naming from team branding suggests flexibility in future sponsor architecture. Minute Media's broader portfolio includes 90min and The Players' Tribune, both sports content brands that could layer into the venue relationship.
The Red Bulls have not announced a jersey front replacement for Red Bull, which remains on the kit. The naming rights deal does not affect team ownership or operations. The stadium rebrand will be complete before the 2026 MLS season opener in late February.
The takeaway
Sports Illustrated enters MLS venue naming for **13 years**, replacing Red Bull Arena branding while the energy drink keeps team ownership and jersey placement.
mlsnaming rightssports illustratedred bullstadium dealsminute media
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