The Phoenix Suns finally have a new arena sponsor
Are you just getting used to Phoenix Suns Arena? Hope not. Now it’s got a name again, and whether it coincides with basketball is as immaterial as every other arena/stadium name in the country.
The Footprint center is now the home of your Phoenix Suns, beginning as immediately as possible.
Footprint is an environmental-based tech company that wants to eliminate single-use plastics. The Arizona-based firm develops and manufactures plant-based packaging products and is recognized on the 2021 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, which honors private companies leading out of the pandemic.
The new arena name, as well as the sponsoring company name, are derived from the intention to reduce the footprint we leave behind us.
Suns managing partner Robert Sarver spoke to CNBC on Wednesday. He said the agreement is “one of the most unique partnerships in sports” because Footprint has full access to the arena and will use events to test new technologies.
“We’re going to innovate and transform how sports venues operate,” Sarver said. “The idea is Footprint will create an innovation lab for us within our arena, and then we can take that and get other arenas throughout the world interested in doing the same thing.”
Footprint makes sustainable products like ready-to-eat dinner containers made from bio-based, biodegradable, compostable and recyclable fibers. Footprint has deals with companies including Swanson foods (makers of Hungry-Man frozen dinners) and Conagra Brands (Healthy Choice dinners). To date, Footprint has raised more than $500 million, according to PitchBook.
Thanks to cnbc.com for much of the content of this story, found in tis article: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/16/phoenix-suns-arena-will-be-called-footprint-center.html
Here is the Suns official press release article, including pictures and quotes from various folks: https://www.nba.com/suns/footprintcenter#
Welcome to the Footprint, Suns fans!