Coca-Cola Bottling is not renewing its naming-rights deal on Coca-Cola Field, home of the Buffalo Bison (Class AAA; International League), forcing the city to shop rights for 2019 and beyond.
“Beginning in 2019, the Bisons and Coca-Cola are excited to extend our long-term and very important partnership in a meaningful way,” according to a team statement. “While this will no longer include the naming rights for the ballpark following this season, we will be working closely with Coca-Cola to transition to the next phase of our successful partnership. ”
The ten-year naming-rights deal began in December 2018.
The ballpark opened in the 1988 season as Pilot Field, with naming rights sold to Pilot Air Freight. Hailed as the first retro ballpark in professional baseball before Oriole Park in Camden Yards made its making in Major League Baseball, Pilot Field was an instant hit and fueled talk of Major League Baseball coming to Buffalo. But that was not to be, and since then the ballpark has been known as North AmeriCare Park and Dunn Tire Park under previous naming-rights deals.
In this case, the city is responsible for the sale of naming rights. Opening Day for the Bisons is April 12.