MLS: Portland Timbers give stadium naming rights to Providence Health & Services

The Portland Timbers have appointed Providence Health and Services as the new sponsor of their stadium, which will now be called Providence Park, the club announced on 10/02/2014. The contract will run for 15 years (2014-2028). Financial terms were not disclosed.

Portland had originally partnered with the construction supplier Jeld-Wen and anointed the grounds Jeld-Wen Field for their first MLS (Major League Soccer, USA) match in 2011. However, both parties have mutually agreed to terminate that contract. Jeld-Wen will remain an official partner of the club.

"Providence was there from the get-go with us. They were one of our first founding partners in 2011, when we moved to MLS," said Merritt Paulson, owner and CEO of the Portland Timbers. "It's a long-standing partnership."

10 MLS franchises have now sold naming rights to 10 stadiums (the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA share use of the StubHub Center, however the AEG group owns the Galaxy and the stadium). The typical contract for MLS stadium naming rights is $2m (€1.5) per year for 10 years, though a few teams (LA Galaxy and the Chicago…