The B.C. Lions will be taking to a field going by a different name for their home opener on Saturday, after striking a multi-year naming rights partnership with grocery chain Save-On-Foods.
The team’s home field will be re-branded as Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place, with the partnership extending into other elements of the game day experience and cross-promotion on social media.
“Save-On-Foods has been an outstanding partner of our club for more than two decades and we are thrilled for the opportunity to take this partnership to an even bigger level as a field naming rights partner,” Lions’ vice-president of business George Chayka said in a statement.
“Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place represents a partnership with an iconic B.C.-based company whose focus aligns with the B.C. Lions pillar of helping to create better communities throughout British Columbia. We are proud to be furthering our partnership with Save-On-Foods and the Pattison Food Group.”
The Lions have played their home games at BC Place since the stadium opened in 1983, winning Grey Cups there in 1994 and 2011. The stadium is owned and operated by PavCo, a provincial crown corporation, which controls the building naming rights. The Lions’ agreement extends only to the field on their gamedays.
Save-On-Foods was founded in 1982 in Langley by local billionaire Jimmy Pattison. The grocery chain now operates 177 locations across Western Canada and generates more than $1 billion in revenue.
“We are thrilled to expand our longtime partnership with the BC Lions and lend our name to Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place,” president of Save-On-Foods and the Pattison Food Group Darrell Jones said in his statement.
“As B.C.’s Most Loved Brand, this is a natural extension of our partnership with one of B.C.s most loved sports teams. At Save-On-Foods, we’re all about giving our customers extra, and with our name on the field at all B.C. Lions home games, we know Lions fans will bring extra pride, extra excitement and extra loud cheers to Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place!”
The renamed field will be christened on Saturday when the Lions (1-0) host the Edmonton Elks (0-1) at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The game will be preempted by a live performance from rap icon LL Cool J and is expected to feature a large crowd with the upper deck open.
