The home of the Dayton Dragons (Low A; Midwest League) has been renamed Day Air Ballpark, as the team announces a new naming-rights partnership with Day Air Credit Union.
Located in downtown Dayton, the ballpark had been known as Fifth Third Field since its 2000 opening. The original naming-rights deal with Fifth Third Bank had drawn to its conclusion, and the Dragons have found a new ballpark naming-rights partner by striking an agreement with Day Air Credit Union, a Kettering, OH-based financial cooperative.
The new naming-rights partnership was announced on Wednesday. Financial terms for the 10-year agreement, which will run through the end of 2029, were not disclosed. More from the Dayton Business Journal:
“This is one of the most historic days in Dayton Dragons history,” said Robert Murphy, president and general manager of the Dayton Dragons. “Dragons baseball has become part of the fabric of this community.”
The new marketing partnership marks the end of a 20-year agreement between the Dragons and Cincinnati-based Fifth Third Bancorp (NYSE:FTB), which has been the stadium’s official financial sponsor since November 1999. Fifth Third was the first company to purchase a suite in the stadium and the first to place a deposit on season tickets.
In finding a new naming rights partner, the Dragons wanted to partner with a business operating in the Dayton region, with local leadership and customers, Murphy said.
As part of the deal, the Dayton Dragons have agreed to provide early access to ticketing for members of Day Air Credit Union, said Bill Burke, the organization’s president and CEO. In recognition of the credit union’s 75-year anniversary, members will also be eligible for pricing equal to 75 percent of the list price for season tickets, individual tickets and merchandise.
Since arriving to Dayton in 2000, the Dragons have earned a reputation for offering a solid fan experience, achieving a sellout streak that currently stands at 1,385 consecutive games. We have taken a closer look at the team’s success in prior stories, including this 2018 feature and our 2019 Executive of the Year profile of Dragons team President Robert Murphy.