USC is trying to sell naming rights to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, so soon, and for the first time ever, we might see the Trojans play football at the MasterCard Memorial Coliseum or the Trojan Memorial Coliseum (the condoms) or whatever. The state of California owns the Coliseum, but USC signed a comprehensive long-term lease in 2013 that gives them complete control over management of the 1923 facility. Now the school has made a deal with Fox Sports to find a naming sponsor (Fox already had the rights to sell sponsorships at the venue, but now the name), reports SportsBusiness Daily (via SportsPro). The Coliseum's general manager swears to ESPN it won't touch the "Memorial Coliseum" part of the name.
It's estimated that USC will make between $3 and $7 million a year from any naming sponsorship and the Coliseum's GM says "We'll only consider long-term, multiyear options." USC is obligated to do a huge renovation of the venue; meanwhile, the property is probably the top pick to temporarily host a new LA NFL team sometime in the near future while a custom stadium is built.
The Memorial Coliseum has never had a sponsored name before. It's named for US veterans of World War I.
· Report: Fox to sell naming rights for LA Coliseum [SportsPro]
· USC explores selling naming rights to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum [ESPN]
· USC Starts Running the Coliseum and Sports Arena on Monday [Curbed LA]