Verizon Won’t Renew Naming RIghts to Wizards’ Arena

While its naming-rights deal in Washington, D.C., won’t expire until 2018, Verizon is not renewing as the title sponsor of the building that it and MCI have held rights to at the home of the Washington Wizards, Capitals, Mystics and the Georgetown men’s basketball team since the building opened in 1997 with a Barry Manilow concert.

Playing it close to the vest, Monumental Sports & Entertainment Chief Revenue Officer Jim Van Stone said in an email only that “we are in the process of beginning to explore” finding a new naming-rights partner for the arena, which is located in the city’s Chinatown section.

via Terry Lefton of the Sports Business Journal