The Seattle Mariners announced on Wednesday that T-Mobile will become the new naming rights sponsor for the ballpark formerly known as Safeco Field.
The stadium will be re-branded as T-Mobile Park as the mobile communications giant replaces Safeco Insurance as the naming rights sponsor for the stadium after a 20-year agreement came to a close following last season. The two sides had decided not to extend the agreement in the summer of 2017.
The new deal with T-Mobile is for 25 years and will run through the 2043 season. It will run concurrently with the new 25-year lease the Mariners have signed with the city of Seattle and Public Facilities District.
“T-Mobile has a deep commitment to this community, a passion for customer service and a well-earned reputation as a leader in innovation. These are the qualities that make T-Mobile the right partner to name this iconic ballpark,” said John Stanton, Seattle Mariners Chairman and Managing Partner in a press release announcing the deal.
The stadium officially opened on July 15, 1999 to serve as a replacement for the Kingdome. The Mariners played the first three months of the season in their inaugural home before moving across the street midway through the season. Safeco had held the naming rights to the stadium since the park opened.
“The Un-carrier is always shaking things up for the better, and this time we’re going BIG with the Seattle Mariners for all their fans,” said John Legere, T-Mobile CEO. “T-Mobile Park isn’t just some corporate-branded sponsorship to us…this is about supporting the community and our hometown Mariners in building a World Series-caliber team!”
T-Mobile's U.S. headquarters are based in Bellevue, Wash.
Photo Credit: SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 29: A crowd waits outside before an opening day game between the Cleveland Indians and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on March 29, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)