LA28 to break longstanding tradition with corporate venue names at Games

The Guardian

a day ago

For the first time in Olympic and Paralympic history, competition venues will carry corporate names during the Games, breaking from the long-standing 'clean venue' tradition.
That policy, also enforced at other major events like the Fifa World Cup, requires stadiums and arenas to strip or cover all non-official sponsor branding, including naming rights signage. The aim is to protect the exclusivity of global partners who pay millions for official status. In past events, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium became 'Arsenal Stadium' for Uefa matches, and New Jersey's MetLife Stadium will be known as 'New York New Jersey Stadium' during the 2026 World Cup.
The shift follows years of debate inside the IOC. Former president Thomas Bach had signaled a move towards a 'clean field of play' rather than a blanket 'clean venue' policy, opening the door for more sponsor visibility around the Games. LA28 chair Casey Wasserman said naming rights are 'truly embedded' in the US sporting culture and that many venues are already commonly known by their sponsor names.
LA28 announced Thursday that Comcast and Honda will be the first naming rights partners under an IOC-approved pilot program designed to generate additional revenue for the privately funded Los Angeles Games. Comcast Squash Center at Universal Studios will stage squash's Olympic debut. Honda Center in Anaheim, home to the NHL's Ducks, will host indoor volleyball while keeping its corporate name. Other permanent venues with existing naming deals, including SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome, Crypto.com Arena, BMO Stadium, Peacock Theater and Devon Park in Oklahoma City, could retain their titles if their sponsors purchase the rights.
'From the moment we submitted our bid, LA28 committed to reimagining what's possible for the Games,' Wasserman said. 'These groundbreaking partnerships with Comcast and Honda, along with additional partners to come, will not only generate critical revenue for LA28 but will introduce a new commercial model to benefit the entire Movement. We're grateful to the IOC for making this transformation possible.'
Under the program, up to 19 temporary venues will also have naming rights available to worldwide and LA28 partners, with the first opportunities going to members of the Olympic Partner (TOP) program. TOP sponsors will have first choice on temporary venues, followed by LA28's highest-tier domestic sponsors. Any company outside that group would need to sign on as a founding partner to gain rights. Wasserman has estimated the total value could reach nine figures, depending on the venue and location.
Historically, the 'clean venue' policies have meant significant losses for venue sponsors. Marketing analysts estimate that losing naming rights exposure at a World Cup can cost between $5m and $9m for early matches, rising to $80m for the final. For 2026, Fifa has told host cities to hand over full control of their stadiums for more than a month, with all non-sponsor logos removed or covered, even on equipment and roof signage.
An IOC statement described the LA28 plan as a 'pilot' that will be 'assessed for relevancy for future hosts'. It said the approach 'takes into account market realities of venue naming and generates critical revenue to stage the Games' while maintaining the principles of clean venues on the field of play.
The move underscores the growing commercialization of the Games as organizers seek new funding models. LA28 will be the first US Summer Olympics in more than 30 years and aims to rely entirely on private financing to meet its estimated $7.1bn budget. Outside the new naming rights program, standard clean venue rules will still apply.
The Games run from 14 to 30 July, followed by the Paralympics from 15 to 27 August.