Major Assets Series: Practice Facility Naming Rights
This second installment in our major assets report series examines one of the fastest-advancing—and often least understood frontiers in sports sponsorship: practice facility naming rights (PFNR). Across six major U.S. pro leagues (excluding MLB due to the unique dynamics of spring training ownership and rights structures), PFNR deals now attract more than $300 million in annual brand investment, or roughly 9% of the total spend on major assets, including venue naming rights, practice facilities, gates, clubs/suites, and jersey patches.
Methodology:
This report offers an analysis of practice facility naming rights deals across major U.S. professional sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, NWSL, and WNBA. In addition to traditional sponsorship agreements, the total number of team deals may also include individual brands within a parent company portfolio, league-level partnerships that deliver team signage or exposure, and sponsorships secured through third-party agencies. When a parent company executes a sponsorship that activates multiple sub-brands, the exposure of each sub-brand is counted as a separate deal.
Within this report, “Sold” refers to teams or ownership groups that receive direct revenue allocation from an active naming-rights partnership. “Unsold” represents teams that control their venue naming rights but do not currently have an active partner. “Non-Sellable” applies to venues that are shared, publicly owned, or controlled by an external entity, preventing the team from independently selling naming rights. The designation “Future Sellable / Pre-Construction” identifies new venues or projects expected to enter the market before completion, where naming-rights inventory will soon be available.
Sponsorship data was compiled using the SponsorUnited SaaS platform, which tracks and analyzes sponsorship activity across all major U.S. sports properties. Data was verified through observed in-game and broadcast brand placements, team websites, and official partnership announcements. Social media metrics were gathered through SponsorUnited’s proprietary tracking system, measuring Total Engagement across property- and person-controlled accounts on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), TikTok, and LinkedIn.
This Major Assets: Practice Facility Naming Rights Report was jointly authored by SponsorUnited’s Marketing, Business Intelligence, and Analytics teams, using data collected from January 15, 2024, through November 24, 2025.
About SponsorUnited:
Launched in 2018, SponsorUnited is the leading global sports and entertainment intelligence platform, delivering actionable data and insights to build stronger marketing partnerships. We provide unrivaled knowledge across the sponsorship and media landscape so our clients can make impactful decisions that drive business.
With over 403,000 brands, 2.2 million deals, and 21.1 million data points across sports, entertainment, media, and talent, our SaaS platform enables brands, rights holders, and agencies to partner more effectively. By delivering real-time trends, on-demand research, and the most comprehensive data available, we connect the entire sponsorship ecosystem and are rewriting the partnership playbook.
