A new sponsorship and naming rights policy will allow the City of Airdrie to generate additional revenue while safeguarding the City’s image, values, and interests, according to Airdrie Manager of Recreation, Brad Anderson.
Anderson explained during the March 18 city council meeting the policy applies to all assets, including facilities or scenarios such as events, programs, and services.
Sponsorship of physical spaces, facilities, and assets help offset operating and capital expenditures while in return, a sponsor receives brand exposure.
“Just because we look to sponsor components within the Ron Ebbesen Arena, does not mean that the overall name or the name of the Ron Ebbesen would be up for sale,” Anderson said. “Sponsorship would focus on aspects not currently named within a facility, that could be the dressing rooms, the lobby, or maybe even the penalty box.”
Anderson said the RCMP would be a great fit to sponsor the penalty box –potentially as a recruitment campaign.
The Sponsorship Policy outlines Council’s considerations and principles to ensure sponsor opportunities are transparent and safeguard City interests.
Anderson pointed out that the City would not enter into sponsorship agreements with product companies known to have harmful effects, religious or political organizations, companies that promote or present content that could be perceived as harmful, intolerant or derogatory, companies who compete with city services, and organizations that could create fiscal hardship for the City of Airdrie and its residents.
Coun. Tina Petrow questioned whether tenants of City buildings, like the Airdrie Public Library, could go against the City’s values within the naming policy.
Anderson noted the City’s naming policy is for its own assets and cannot influence how tenants, such as the library or a sporting group in Genesis Place, sponsor their zones.
Sponsorship opportunities discussed
Top sponsorship priorities include the City's three impending major community infrastructure projects, including the library/ multi-use facility, artificial turf at Genesis Place, and the SW recreation facility.
Other facilities approved under the policy are Genesis Place, including Ed Eggerer Athletic Park, Ron Ebbesen Arena and the Plainsmen Arena.
“If a name already exists either through a sponsorship term or other naming policy, it would not be sold just because it appears on this list,” Anderson reiterated. “Only those areas and facilities outside of a term would be available to be sold.”
Coun. Al Jones questioned whether soccer fields and baseball diamonds are available under this sponsorship policy.
Anderson explained they are currently focusing on indoor facilities and that outdoor athletic fields are not being prioritized, but could be added upon council’s request. He said outdoor fields have not been audited.
Mayor Peter Brown said the outdoor athletic fields are not being excluded but that administration will work towards adding them in the future.
Coun. Heather Spearman asked why the North East Regional Park was left out as a priority, and Anderson quickly explained they are not ready to sell naming rights to the park until they have a better understanding of the phasing and programming involved.
Administration can now move forward with soliciting and selling sponsorship opportunities that exist within the Community Services asset inventory, prioritizing high-return sponsorships like the current projects.
Anderson said a sponsorship firm will be hired to solicit and sell opportunities, given that limited expertise and resources exist in-house at the City.
In the past, sponsorship of Genesis Place significantly raised capital funding through its three phases of construction.
From 2004 to 2014, sponsorship campaigns and opportunities funnelled millions of dollars to the City through the naming of the overall recreation facility and sponsorship of a variety of playing areas and spaces.
At the time, no sponsorship framework or policy existed and all sponsorship terms at Genesis Place expired in 2024 except for the overall naming rights of the facility.
The only active sponsorship opportunities in the arenas are rink and wall boards and other small activations. The total City’s portion of revenue from the existing inventory is less than $40,000 per year.
