KCRag Forum

KC Star article on five year anniversary of Sprint Center opening

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/06/38 ... -year.html

QuikTrip to close in Sprint Center

“It was profitable in regards to what we were trying to accomplish. But we never intended it to be like a normal QuikTrip,” said Mike Thornbrugh, spokesman for the company. No closing date was available but Thornburgh said it would be “soon.”

Time to renovate.

“It was profitable in regards to what we were trying to accomplish. But we never intended it to be like a normal QuikTrip,” said Mike Thornbrugh, spokesman for the company. No closing date was available but Thornburgh said it would be “soon.”

What's that even mean?

That really stinks, it was the best deal in all of the Arenas across the country (Unless the BOK Center in Tulsa has a QT inside). I loved getting the M&M Cookies for like a 1.25

chaglang wrote:

“It was profitable in regards to what we were trying to accomplish. But we never intended it to be like a normal QuikTrip,” said Mike Thornbrugh, spokesman for the company. No closing date was available but Thornburgh said it would be “soon.”

What's that even mean?

It was more for marketing to get the name out than to turn a profit with that one store.

.

I've always thought it was a mistake to have a Quik Trip inside the Sprint Center that was only open during events. The Sprint Center should have been designed so that the Quik Trip space faced the outdoor plaza and was open during the day and evenings, and on weekends. Preferably 24 hours a day. Downtown needs a centrally-located convenience store that is open all the time to serve both residents, workers, and hotel guests.

Had I designed the Sprint Center, the Quik Trip would have been in the first floor of the College Basketball Experience museum building facing the plaza. The museum would have been built one-story taller, and the museum would have been above the Quik Trip space, and the store would have had a street level entrance both on the plaza (open when Sprint Center was closed), and inside the Sprint Center lobby (open when Sprint Center had an event).

chaglang wrote:

“It was profitable in regards to what we were trying to accomplish. But we never intended it to be like a normal QuikTrip,” said Mike Thornbrugh, spokesman for the company. No closing date was available but Thornburgh said it would be “soon.”

What's that even mean?

it was simply a giant ad for QuikTrip, it was never open when there was nothing at the arena

Will the Sprint Center get a new name?

https://www.kctv5.com/good_question/goo ... 788e0.html

FangKC wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 11:51 pm Will the Sprint Center get a new name?

https://www.kctv5.com/good_question/goo ... 788e0.html

I'm sure it will change. No reason a company paying 1.2 million a year wouldn't want their name and color scheme slapped all over the buildings exterior and interior.

I'm interested in who's on the hook for the actual hard costs? It's not just the exterior signage, but interior signage including the scoreboard.

So now that Tmobile/Sprint merger is final will Tmobile take naming rights?

earthling wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:01 am So now that Tmobile/Sprint merger is final will Tmobile take naming rights?

Considering that Vegas has a T-Mobile Arena, I wouldn't bet on it.

We don't yet know how T-Mobile will handle branding. They may keep Sprint as a sub-brand for awhile for current customers in some markets.

empires228 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:32 pm

earthling wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:01 am So now that Tmobile/Sprint merger is final will Tmobile take naming rights?

Considering that Vegas has a T-Mobile Arena, I wouldn't bet on it.

I don’t see why not. Many companies sponsor multiple arenas/centers/stadiums.

A global example:

Allianz Arena, Allianz Stadium, Allianz Stadium (Sydney);

USA Specific Examples:

American Airlines Arena, America Airlines Center;
ATT Center, ATT Stadium, ATT Field;
BBT Arena, BBT Ballpark ( x 3), BBT Center, BBT Field;
Capital One Arena, Capital One Field;
Century Link Center, Century Link Arena, Century Link Field

It's also hard because these things lose value. People don't just go from saying the sprint center to something else

earthling wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 9:01 am So now that Tmobile/Sprint merger is final will Tmobile take naming rights?

Yes. Sprint Center operations staff have already identified every single location where the sprint logo is located, down to the smallest details and have a plan to replace this all. It’s a big project. They don’t know a timeline and what the official name will be yet.

The only other option that’s possible is for T-Mobile and AEG to work out a mutually agreeable way to get out of the contract. The only way this happens is if someone else is prepared to pay for naming rights. I’m not sure what local companies have the money to do this? Cerner?

WoodDraw wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:25 pm It's also hard because these things lose value. People don't just go from saying the sprint center to something else

True, but most of the value here is the signage, marketing and TV exposure. It will take me years to not say Sprint Center.

No need for the company to be local to take the naming rights obviously.

Though with no sports anchor outsiders may not go for it. And if we head toward a recession/depression, chances even lower. Telcom likely to be less impacted by economic downturn so Tmobile might end up keeping the contract and add it to their Sprint rebranding efforts over time. As Fang mentioned, they might keep it named Sprint Center for as long as Sprint branding exists.