Highmark Stadium
North American sports had one of the first instances of the purchase of naming rights in Buffalo, NY. A Buffalo-centered food products company, Rich Products initially wanted to name the stadium Coffee Rich Park, but Ralph Wilson was not a fan. They eventually compromised with Rich Stadium and the county legislature accepted the title in 1972, even though the owner put up a matching bid ($1,500,000), trying to title the stadium just Buffalo Bills Stadium. But after the Bills establishment kept calling the stadium without the “Rich” title, Rich Products produced a $7,500,000 lawsuit against the Bills in 1976.
After 25 years as Rich Stadium, the deal with Rich Products expired, and they did not renew, scoffing at the increased rights fee, which was the normal average going rate then in 1998. At that time the stadium was renamed in honor of their then current owner, Ralph Wilson Stadium. Then in 2016, the Buffalo-centered business New Era Cap Company bought the naming rights for the stadium for $35,000,000 for 7 years, and the stadium became New Era Field. But then in 2020 New Era Cap Company came up with a deal with the Bills to dismiss their arrangement. The stadium was called just Bills Stadium until March of 2021 when it was declared the stadium would be called Highmark Stadium, when a 10-year arrangement with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, based in Western New York, was made.
There have been many other events that took place at the home of the Buffalo Bills stadium including high-school and college football, a couple National Hockey League games and a wide range of large concerts.
Highmark Stadium is located on 1 Bills Drive in Orchard Park, NY and is currently owned by Pegula Sports and Entertainment.