On July 1, 2018, the Air Canada Centre will become Scotiabank Arena. As part of a new 20-year agreement between the Canadian bank and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the home of the Leafs and Raptors and the second biggest permanent concert venue in the city will have a new name.
It feels a bit silly to get attached to one corporate branding over another, but after 18 years referring to it as the ACC, it’s going to be hard to wrap our minds around Scotiabank Arena. What do you call it for short? The SBA? You’re more lost than you think.
Scotiabank already has its name plastered on Scotiabank Theatre at 259 Richmond and until 2015, also had naming rights to Nuit Blanche, BuskerFest, CHIN Picnic and the Caribbean Carnival (formerly Caribana). They recently pulled their sponsorship to those events, saying they were refocusing their community funding on film, marathons and hockey. It turns out they really meant it when it comes to hockey.
According to TSN, the naming rights to the former ACC went for $800 million, significantly more than Air Canada’s initial deal in 1999 for $30 million. The capacity of the venue is close to 20,000.
The venue will continue to be known as the Air Canada Centre throughout the next NBA and NHL seasons.
richardt@nowtoronto.com | @trapunski
