Sports Illustrated Tickets buys naming rights to Red Bull Arena

The New York Red Bulls have a new stadium naming rights partner.

On Wednesday, Major League Soccer’s 2024 Eastern Conference Champions announced a 13-year naming rights deal with Sports Illustrated Tickets.

Immediately, the 20,000 capacity Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey will be renamed Sports Illustrated Stadium. This is the first stadium naming rights deal in sports publishing history.

“For 70 years, Sports Illustrated has represented the best in sports and culture,” said David Lane, CEO of Sports Illustrated Tickets. “Through this partnership, we want to showcase our extensive portfolio of media, live events, tickets, hospitality and fan experiences,” he added.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As part of the agreement, starting with the 2026 season, Sports Illustrated Tickets will also become the official ticketing partner for all events held at the stadium.

This includes all New York Red Bulls games, Gotham FC games, international soccer matches and all concerts and events.

Sports Illustrated Tickets is adding a hat for stadium fans. Fans attending games and events at the stadium will receive a digital Sports Illustrated fan cover to take home.

The stadium naming rights mark a new chapter for the famous sports magazine that started in 1954.

Sports Illustrated has had a difficult past few years mass layoffs and ownership changes.

It is currently owned by the brand The Real Brands Group and published by Minute Media.

As Sports Illustrated looked to reinvent itself, Sports Illustrated Tickets launched in June 2021. Today, the ticket market has more than $2.5 billion in inventory and offers 50 million sports, theater and concert tickets.

“Sports Illustrated Stadium is much more than a sports and concert venue; it’s a celebration of history, innovation and the unforgettable experiences that unite us all,” said Lane.