McDonald's Wins Rights to Chicago Fire's $750 Million Stadium Through at Least 2040
Updated
Updated · Chicago Tribune · May 13
McDonald's Wins Rights to Chicago Fire's $750 Million Stadium Through at Least 2040
7 articles · Updated · Chicago Tribune · May 13
McDonald's signed a long-term naming-rights deal for the Chicago Fire's new $750 million stadium, branding the 2028 venue at The 78 as McDonald's Park.
The agreement, which runs through at least 2040, gives the Chicago-based chain its first professional sports stadium naming deal and includes a permanent flagship restaurant attached to the arena.
For the Fire, the sponsorship helps offset costs of the privately funded project, a 22,000-seat open-air stadium with 50 luxury suites that the club says is the most expensive in MLS.
The venue is expected to host 17 MLS regular-season matches and 10 to 15 other events annually, while McDonald's will also back youth soccer programs and in-stadium charitable fundraising.
The stadium anchors the north end of The 78, an $8 billion mixed-use development on a 62-acre former rail yard in Chicago's South Loop.
Can a fast-food giant's stadium deal truly uplift youth soccer while promoting its brand?
Will Chicago's newest neighborhood, built around a stadium, bridge communities or create a corporate island?