It’s a challenge Aviva has faced, and will face again, when the Stadium that bears its name becomes the Dublin Arena for certain major events. If the Olympics were ever to come to Dublin, it would once have been the same, with venues protected to keep them ‘clean’ for the companies spending billions to become Top Olympic Partners.
It was known that LA was going to tear up that rulebook, and now the ink is drying on the first Olympic Venue naming rights deal for the Intuit Dome, the regular home of the LA Clippers and host of the Olympic Basketball tournament in just over three years.
Under a pilot programme approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the 2028 Summer Olympics organising committee (LA28) were allowed to retain sponsor branding on venues, departing from the longstanding “clean venue” policy under which corporate names were hidden or removed during Olympic events.
Intuit has become the first sponsor to formally exercise its right to retain its corporate name on the Intuit Dome during the Olympics, a key element in the organising committee’s revenue and sponsorship strategy.
The naming rights deal underpinning this decision is substantial. In September 2021, the Clippers announced a 23-year naming-rights agreement with Intuit for the new arena, reportedly worth more than US$500 million.
Intuit is a major player in the financial software and fintech sector: the company develops and markets flagship products such as TurboTax (tax preparation software), QuickBooks (business accounting), Credit Karma (personal finance), and Mailchimp (marketing automation).
Its business model is anchored in cloud-based subscription and transaction-fee revenues, serving small and mid-sized businesses, self-employed individuals, and consumers.
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By securing the arena naming rights, Intuit is further aligning its brand and positioning it in a high-visibility sports venue. It will get unlimited broadcast mentions, signage, live-event linkages, and community-engagement activations, all supporting its positioning as an innovator in financial technology and customer obsession.
The deal also reflects how fintech companies are participating in major sports sponsorships — a trend increasingly evident in naming rights and venue branding. It will not be cheap, but we won’t know the exact amount until after the Games, when the financial reports will provide clues.
The IOC has described the naming-rights arrangement as a pilot programme, subject to review for future Games.
The US has a deeply embedded culture of stadium naming rights, which makes a difference, but Allianz is a Top Olympic Partner. If they have influence, then their inclination towards stadium deals around the world could also become more valuable, even if at a greater cost.
Whether it impacts the perceived value of the primary Olympic partners will be part of the review, and as of today, there is a real-life example that will be included.
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
Read our Sport for Business Coverage of Olympic Sport
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