The San Jose Earthquakes have a new name for their stadium.
The Major League Soccer club struck a sponsorship deal with Silicon Valley online payment giant PayPal that includes naming rights for the stadium next to Mineta San Jose International Airport, the team announced Monday.
The 18,000-seat stadium has been renamed PayPal Park.
The 10-year partnership will celebrate Quakes fans, the San Jose community and local small businesses, the team said. PayPal Park will feature a 250-seat reserved section that will host underserved members of the community and give them access to complimentary tickets and transportation to and from home matches, the team said.
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Local youth and nonprofit organizations will be invited to Earthquakes training sessions and have opportunities to play games on the stadium field.
"PayPal is deeply committed to San Jose, and we are excited to partner with the San Jose Earthquakes to introduce PayPal Park to our passionate Quakes community and local small businesses," Dan Schulman, PayPal's president and CEO, said in a statement. "This is a unique opportunity to partner with a valued sporting brand and strong community of fans, as we draw on our digital payments technology and work together to redefine the future of live event experiences."
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to find a stadium naming rights partner that aligns with our vision of uplifting the local community,” said Earthquakes Chief Operating Officer Jared Shawlee. “PayPal is a highly respected global brand with its headquarters less than two miles from our Front Office. We’re excited to partner on a number of initiatives that aim to support local small businesses and underserved youth, while also making the stadium a more touchless experience for our guests.”
Sports
During each home game, PayPal and the Quakes will spotlight a small business through signage, social media promotion and other marketing strategies, the team said.
PayPal Park will be equipped with PayPal’s digital payments technology, including touch-free QR codes around the stadium, and will feature fast lanes for those paying with PayPal or Venmo, the Quakes said.
"This is a landmark partnership for our club," Earthquakes Vice President of Strategy Ian Anderson said in a statement. "It’s been great working with the team at PayPal to build a program that will positively impact many members of our community and bring world-class technology solutions to our venue. We look forward to hosting fans at PayPal Park for years to come."
