MetLife Stadium Gets New Cornerstone Sponsor

MetLife Stadium has signed India-based tech consultancy HCLTech as a cornerstone sponsor, replacing longtime sponsor SAP. HCLTech also takes the tech consulting category and will be known as the “official digital transformation partner” for both the Jets and Giants. HCLTech, which has previously done deals with Manchester United and Cricket Australia, wants to leverage the prominent venue to promote a new brand positioning announced today, changing its name from HCL to HCLTech and adding a new tag line: “supercharging progress.” HCLTech said about 60% of its nearly $12B in annual revenue comes from the U.S., where this is its first sports sponsorship.

In the deal, HCLTech now entitles the southeast corner gate to the stadium, additional gameday stadium signage, access to a 75-person capacity suite on the 50-yard-line and b-to-b networking opportunities, and digital/social/tv assets. HCLTech has pledged to work with the teams and stadium operators to enhance all technology aspects of the 12-year-old stadium.

Terms were not disclosed, but cornerstone rights at a two-team stadium in the country’s largest media market are comparable in value to recent building-level naming rights deals in small NFL markets. The Jets and Giants split revenue from facility deals. Excel Sports Management represented the stadium, Giants and Jets. Genesco Sports Enterprises represented HCLTech.

When the stadium first opened in 2010 without building-wide naming rights, four companies took the cornerstone positions: Bud Light, Pepsi, MetLife and Verizon. MetLife upgraded to stadium rights one year later, and SAP then took the vacant spot in 2012. SAP’s deal expired after last season.