DALLAS — This week, New York City Football Club (NYC FC) and Etihad Airways (ET) announced that Etihad Park, New York City’s first soccer-specific stadium, will be named after the airline.
The 20-year naming rights agreement, facilitated by NYC FC and City Football Group partnership teams, ensures ET's exclusive name for the stadium in Willets Point, Queens.
Etihad Airways, NYC FC Partnership
Etihad Airways has supported NYC FC’s community work for a decade through its nonprofit foundation, City in the Community (CITC). Since the inception of the football club, ET has been a primary partner of the New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI), which created and maintains 50 mini-pitches across the city to expand free soccer programming.
The 50th pitch opened in November 2021, and all sites are open to the public. ET and NYC FC, along with other NYCSI partners, have committed to building 26 more mini-pitches before the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Earlier this year, the New York City Council approved the next phase of the Willets Point Redevelopment project, including NYC FC’s privately financed stadium. It’ll seat 25,000 people and be the first fully electric sports stadium in New York City and all Major League Soccer.
The stadium will be part of a 23-acre neighborhood in Queens, featuring 2,500 affordable housing units, a new school, a hotel, and over 150,000 square feet of public space. The redevelopment project will generate US$6.1 billion in economic activity, create 1,550 permanent jobs, and 14,200 construction jobs.
Comments from NYC FC, Etihad CEOs
“This historic announcement benefits New York City FC, Etihad Airways, and New York City,” said Brad Sims, New York City FC CEO.
“Etihad Airways has been a fantastic partner for over a decade, and we’re thrilled to name the stadium after them. Etihad Park will symbolize our deep investment in New York City and become a soccer cathedral in the United States.”
Sims added, “Etihad Park celebrates community and vibrant urban life, like New York City’s iconic green spaces. We hope it becomes a central hub, hosting sporting events, concerts, festivals, and community activities, fostering belonging for all New Yorkers.”
Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad Airways CEO, said, “We’re delighted to sponsor naming rights. This venue will become a landmark sports destination in the US. We’ve supported New York City FC since 2014, and our values align with theirs, promoting soccer in neighborhoods and providing spaces for everyone to play.”
The airlines CEO has led ET through a period of restructuring and scaling down, steering the airline towards profitability. ET has enhanced its US services, especially to JFK airport, by introducing its iconic A380 to New York.
Etihad Park opens before the 2027 MLS regular season.
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December 2024
