Arent Fox Advises TJPA in Transbay Transit Center Naming Rights Deal with Salesforce

Salesforce acquired naming rights to the Transit Center, which will be named the Salesforce Transit Center, in addition to other related entitlements. The four city block long Transit Center is scheduled to open in the spring of 2018 in downtown San Francisco at Mission and 1st streets.
 
Arent Fox San Francisco Managing Partner Richard Brand worked on the transaction with assistance from  Trademark partner Christopher Norton and transactional associate Zeina Kazour.

“This transaction reflects the very recent but fast-growing trend of naming rights expanding from sports facilities to non-sports properties,” Mr. Brand noted. “We congratulate the Transbay Joint Powers Authority and Salesforce on their innovative new partnership.”
 
The Transit Center is the latest example of Arent Fox’s leadership in high-profile California naming rights transactions. The firm’s San Francisco-based Sports practice has previously served as counsel to the Los Angeles Lakers in a naming rights and health provider rights deal with UCLA Health for the UCLA Health Training Center; Golden 1 Credit Union in a naming rights and sponsorship transaction with the Sacramento Kings for the Golden 1 Center; and the San Francisco 49ers in a naming rights and sponsorship transaction with Levi Strauss & Co. for Levi’s Stadium.

Beyond California, Arent Fox’s nationally recognized practice has advised on a multitude of naming rights and other sponsorship transactions including representing the Seattle Seahawks in a naming rights renewal transaction with CenturyLink, Inc. for CenturyLink Field; the Miami Dolphins in an 18-year stadium naming rights agreement with Hard Rock International for Hard Rock Stadium; Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment in naming rights transactions for Barclays Center and Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, presented by New York Community Bank; Inova Health System in a training facility and headquarters naming rights agreement with the Washington Redskins for Inova Sports Performance Center at Redskins Park; and Mercedes-Benz in a naming rights and sponsorship transaction with the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC for Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Mr. Brand has a unique practice that operates at the intersection of sports, corporate, and real estate law. Recognized as a leading attorney by Chambers USA, Legal 500, and US News & World Report, he is a go-to advisor for naming rights agreements, media rights agreements, real estate agreements, and other sports and corporate transactions.
 
Chambers USA and Legal 500 consistently rate Arent Fox’s Real Estate practice for its “top-quality” talent and Arent Fox’s Sports practice for its “top-notch negotiators.” In Real Estate, Arent Fox is recognized nationally for its work counseling capital investors, developers, owners, lenders, and REITs in real estate finance, joint venture, development, and acquisition and disposition matters on both an individual asset and portfolio basis. In Sports, Arent Fox boasts one of the most experienced and diverse sports law practices in the country, with clients spanning individuals, organizations, and teams involved with major league, minor league, and Olympic sports.