A new era begins as the Bills search for a new naming rights partner

A new era begins as the Bills search for a new naming rights partner

TURNING NOW TO THEBUFFALO BILLS..NEW ERA IS OUT..

ANDTHE SEARCH IS ONFOR A NEW NAMINGRIGHTS PARTNER FORTHE STADIUM INORCHARD PARK.

NEWERA PAID THE BILLSROUGHLY 4-MILLIONDOLLARS ANNUALLY...SO WHO WILL FILLTHAT VOID..

AND HOWWILL THE PANDEMICEFFECT THESPONSORSHIPMARKET7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER JENNACALLARI IS TAKING ACLOSER LOOK.NEW ERA FIELD..

NOMOREPATRICK TUTKA / ASST.PROFESSOR OFSPORTS MGT, NIAGARAUNIV.: "THIS IS A TOUGHECONOMIC CLIMATEFOR BOTH OF THEMAND THEY'RE TRYINGTO FIND AN EASYMIDDLE GROUND THATMAKES BOTH SIDESHAPPY."THE BILLS STADIUM -GETTING A NEW NAME -AFTER THE LOCALHEADWEAR COMPANYASKED TO BERELEASED FROM ITSNAMING RIGHTS ANDSPONSORSHIP DEAL.BEN FISCHER / STAFFWRITER, SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL:"ANYONE IN THEBUSINESS OFPRODUCING ANDSELLING PHYSICALSPORTS MERCHANDISEWAS IN A PRETTYTOUGH SPOT TO BEGINWITH AND THIS IS JUSTPUSHING THE LOTOVER THE EDGE."NEW ERA ACQUIREDTHE NAMING RIGHTSFOUR YEARS AGO IN ADEAL THAT WASWORTH AROUND FOURMILLION DOLLARS AYEAR.

THAT DOESN'TLOOK LIKE A LOT OFMONEY WHEN YOUCOMPARE IT TO THETEAM'S TOTAL SEASONREVENUE OFAPPROXIMATELY 386MILLION... BUT THERE'SMORE TO IT.FISCHER: "EVERYCONTRACT THEY'VEGOT IS UP FOR REVIEWAND EVERY SPONSORIS SAYING WELL MAYBEWE SHOULD OWE YOU50 GRAND INSTEAD OF100 GRAND THISMONTH BECAUSEYOU'RE NOT GOING TOHAVE FANS IN THESTANDS ORSOMETHING LIKETHAT... THE NEW ERACONTRACT WAS REALCONTRACTED BOOKEDREVENUE AND NOWTHEY DON'T HAVE IT."THERE'S A LOT OFUNCERTAINTY AS NFLTEAMS TRY TONAVIGATE THEPANDEMIC.

WILL THEREBE A FULL NFLSEASON?.

WILL FANSBE ALLOWED INSIDETHE STADIUM?

FISCHERSAYS THE LIST OFQUESTIONS COULDMAKE IT DIFFICULT TOFIND A NEW SPONSOR.BEN: "GETTINGPEOPLE TO SIGN THEIRNAME ON A CONTRACTNOW AND COMMIT TOADDITIONAL SPENDINGFOR ANYTHING THAT'SNOT PAYROLL ANDCRITICAL ACCOUNTS ISA BIT OF AN UPHILLBATTLE."AND WHEN IT COMESTO A NEW NAMINGRIGHTS PARTNERSIGNING ON..TUTKASAY IT'S MORE THANJUST ABOUT THEMONEY -- IT'S ABOUTTHE POTENTIAL ANDFUTURE OUTLOOK.PATRICK: "OFTENTIMES THERE'S ANINTENT FOR ACORPORATION TOBOUNCE AND TO USE ITAS A NAMING POINTFOR A NEW PLACEBECAUSE THAT'S WHENTHE PRESTIGE ISTHERE WHEN YOUHAVE A BRAND NEWBUILDING HOLDING ALLOF THESE SUPER BIGEVENTS.

IT'S ONE OFTHE CHALLENGES THATHAS CAUSED THEM TONOT BE ABLE TO SELLFOR AS MUCH VALUEAS OTHER TEAMS HAVEBEEN ABLE TORECEIVE."ONLY TIME WILL TELLAS A NEW CHAPTERFOR THE BILLSSTADIUM BEGINS.

INORCHARD PARK, JENNACALLARI, 7EYEWITNESS NEWSTILL AHEAD ON 7EYEWITNESS NEWS...