Say goodbye to CONSOL Energy Center, and say hello to the PPG Paints Arena.
When the puck drops for the start of the 2016-17 NHL season, the home of the defending Stanley Cup champions will have a new name.
We’re ready to paint it black and gold. #PPGPaintsArena pic.twitter.com/LKQgEMXho8
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 4, 2016
Tuesday, it was announced that PPG and the Pittsburgh Penguins had reached a 20-year naming rights deal — and that the name change will take effect immediately. No financial terms were disclosed.
Consol had previously reached a 21-year naming rights deal with Pittsburgh in 2010 when the arena opened, before giving up its rights six years into the deal. Consol has struggled financially with the growing natural gas market. The deal with Consol was estimated to be worth around $105 million, but the terms were never disclosed.
According to David Morehouse, the Penguins’ CEO, the team was approached by PPG about acquiring naming rights and, after a “firm offer” was made, the Penguins discussed things with Consol.
“It’s a great opportunity for PPG, and it’s a great opportunity for the Penguins,” Morehouse said. “It’s not going to be just a name on the building.”
As part of the deal, Consol will remain an arena sponsor for the next 14 years.
Needless to say, there were a lot of feelings:
Changing the name of the @penguins arena from Consol Energy Center to PPG Paints Arena makes me look at it like….. pic.twitter.com/pDxv289pt1
— Tiara White (@tia871cros1) October 4, 2016
PPG Paints Arena. We’re never winning another game.
— ㅤ (@PenguinsWorId) October 4, 2016
PPG Paints arena?? I know Mark Cuban didn’t support this name change…#PPGPaintsArena pic.twitter.com/GcGHKtGywa
— Devon Kinter (@Bigg_Dev) October 4, 2016
Some people made the most of the name change:
Free paint brush night at PPG paints arena
— Joe (@LetsGoPens_8771) October 4, 2016
PPG Paints arena is still a better name than Little Caesar’s arena
— Phil the Thrill (@welpjordan) October 4, 2016
“The penguins look to paint the walls red with their opponents blood tonight at the PPG Paints Arena!” – Mike Lange probably
— BubblezDaPirate (@Bubblezdapirate) October 4, 2016
Excited to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins on the Powerball Powerplay at the PPG Paints Arena
— Meesh (@HockeyMeesh) October 4, 2016
Some proposed a nickname:
“The Paint Can” is what the building should be referred to as moving forward…that’s my recommendation for PPG Paints Arena.
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) October 4, 2016
PPG Paints Arena = The Peeps.
I’m in. https://t.co/WPKvz1ydhw— Mikey (@fsmikey) October 4, 2016
Some proposed shortening the name:
Can it just be PPG arena and not PPG Paints Arena?
— lucinda (@lucylcb) October 4, 2016
Maybe if it was just PPG Arena, I could deal with it. But PPG Paints Arena just sounds awful
— Brendan Cook (@87and66) October 4, 2016
PPG Paints Arena? Meh. I do think PPG Arena sounds better
— Calem Illig (@calemillig) October 4, 2016
And some proposed a new name altogether:
@Steve_Dangle @AdamWylde screw PPG paints arena. It should be Phillip J. Kessel arena .
— McKenna Bold (@Mckenna_71) October 4, 2016
Just name it Harambe Center instead of PPG Paints Arena.
— Roy Chilson (@roychil) October 4, 2016
