After 10 years as Sovereign Bank Arena, the home of the Trenton Devils and countless special events has been renamed the Sun National Bank Center.
The arena’s new name was unveiled on November 13, and the full changeover is expected to be completed by year’s end. How much Sun Bank will pay for the naming rights and how long those rights will last have not been announced. Christine Pileckas, a spokeswoman for the arena, said merely that it is “a seven-figure, multi-year deal.” Sovereign paid $2.6 million for its 10-year rights.
The arena, owned and operated by Global Spectrum, was launched in 1999 as part of the capital city’s investment in minor league sports, alongside the popularity of the AA baseball club Trenton Thunder. The Trenton Titans hockey team, later renamed the Devils to reflect ties with its NHL parent club, and Trenton Shooting Stars independent basketball team were the arena’s first two residents. The Shooting Stars folded after one season, which is better than the fate of Trenton’s Indoor Professional Football League franchise, the Lightning, which lasted one game.
Football did return to the stadium this year, however, with the inaugural season of the Philadelphia Passion of the Lingerie Football League. Men’s football is scheduled to return next year when the New Jersey Kings of the American Indoor Football Association begin play in March.
Sovereign Bank Arena also has become a popular stop for music giants including Bruce Springsteen, as well as women’s NCAA basketball tournaments, and special events ranging from Disney On Ice to Blue Man Group.
The transition between Sovereign Bank Arena and Sun National Bank Center, including all interior and exterior signage, will be complete by the end of the year.
Sun National Bank Center, 550 South Broad Street, Trenton 08611; 609-656-3200; fax, 609-656-3201. Jeff Schumacher, general manager. Home page: www.sunnationalbankcenter.com.
