So, who wants to name a stadium? That’s the question the administration has now that the rights to the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local School District’s football stadium and track is no longer tied to Miami Valley hospital systems.
Premier Health moved away from its contract involving the stadium, opting rather to have signage throughout the school and in other places, according to Superintendent Doug Cozad.
Cozad said the district has benefitted greatly over the 15 years it has been associated with Premier Health, as the company has contributed more than $1.5 million to the district in that time.
The relationship isn’t ending, though. Just the naming rights. The district and the health system are remaining partners at least through September 2025, thanks to a new contract approved by the board on August 11.
Premier Health is now the official healthcare partner of Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools.
So, what’s it cost?
Currently, the district is trying to figure out what naming a stadium is worth and what all of that would entail.
The district is evaluating – along with the rights to name the stadium – what a company or donor would receive on their end. The first benefit, of course, is the name on the stadium. A close second is the public address announcer repeating the name of the stadium to all those in attendance. Certainly some signage would be on the table, but how many and how large are all up for negotiation. Under the current deal, there are four signs that boast Miami Valley South Stadium and those most certainly would change.
The district is proposing a 10-year deal would cost about $450K for naming rights to the stadium. The main high school gym would be an additional $250K over 10 years and the baseball and softball complex would be $100K over 10 years. Altogether, that means $800K in funds for the school athletic programs.
That money would be used for capital improvements.
Athletic Director Charlie O’Dell said the turf is just about at its life expectancy and the track will need to be resurfaced soon, too.
Updates to the stadium and high school gym as well as the baseball and softball diamonds could be on the
table, too.
It isn’t just the Bellbrook community that will see the advertisement, either. At least 31 different schools will be on campus at one point or another in the regular season. The reach goes further if Bellbrook is chosen to host football playoff games, or takes on other post-season responsibilities (including soccer and lacrosse tournament games).
O’Dell said the district has hosted at least one neutral site playoff football game the last three years and plenty of boys and girls post-season soccer tournaments. It has also hosted the lacrosse and soccer state semifinals games.
This is the upside of exposure, but that’s not quantitative data. In theory, each time a story involving the stadium – whether it is about the stadium itself or an event happening there – is written, or airs, it would mention the stadium name. But it’s impossible to know how often that will happen.
There is only one group that cannot name the stadium – another health system. The district cannot allow competition with Premier Health as part of its deal.
BY THE NUMBERS
There are plenty of events going on at the various gyms and stadiums. Though this isn’t
a comprehensive list, it shows plenty of opportunities for exposure:
Attendance Figures at Bellbrook
- Average Tickets Sold for Varsity Football = 1,063 per game
- Average Tickets Sold for Varsity Boys Basketball = 216 per game
- Additional Passes for Football & Boys Basketball (Pass holders are not counted in ticketed
attendance figures) - All Sports Passes Issued = 718
- Football Pass = 238
- Basketball Pass = 19
Fall & Spring Events at Stadium- 5 home Varsity football games + playoff
games - 8 home JV and middle school football
games - 17 home high school soccer games
- Dozens of home Wee Eagle football games
- Dozens of home Wee Eagles lacrosse games
- 20 home high school lacrosse games
- Several home track meets
- SWBL Track & Field Championship
- Division I District Track & Field Championships
- Dozens of OHSAA neutral site tournament games
- Marching Band Competition