Most Expensive Naming Rights Deals For Major League Ballparks

Major League Baseball fans love traveling the country and scoping out all of the ballparks that the league has to offer. They enjoy seeing the dimensions of the field and stadium, the variety in stadium capacity, the differences in fan culture, the landscape surrounding the ballpark, etc. In case you haven't already noticed, the majority of Major League ballparks are named after a corporation. We know. You hate corporations and in most cases, the local taxpayers paid for the bulk of a stadium's construction costs and should have some say in the name. However, Major League Baseball franchises are leaving millions of dollars in extra revenue on the table by not forming sponsorship agreements with corporations.

The Major League ballparks with no corporate naming rights include Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles), Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox), Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs), Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City Royals), Angel Stadium of Anaheim (Anaheim Angels), Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles Dodgers), Marlins Park (Miami Marlins), Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees), Nationals Park (Washington Nationals) and Oakland Alameda Coliseum (Oakland Athletics). Here are the the current stadium naming rights deals for the 2016 Major League Baseball season.

1. Chase Field, Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Financial services giant JPMorgan Chase purchased the naming rights for Chase Field in 1998. The terms of the deal are for 30 years and the deal worth $66.4 million dollars or $2.2 million dollars per season. The sponsorship deal will expire in 2028.

2. SunTrust Park, Home of the Atlanta Braves.

SunTrust, an Atlanta based bank holding company, purchased the naming rights for the Atlanta Braves' new home ballpark in 2016. The terms of the deal includes $250 million dollars for 25 years or $10 million dollars per season. The deal will expire in 2042 and is the second largest sponsorship agreement in Major League Baseball. SunTrust Park will open in the spring of 2017.

3. Guaranteed Rate Field, Home of the Chicago White Sox.

Guaranteed Rate, a company the specializes in home lending, purchased the naming rights for the White Sox home ballpark in 2016. Since 2003, the ballpark had operated as U.S. Cellular Field but will now be called Guaranteed Rate Field. The terms of the deal includes $20 million dollars for the first 10 years of the agreement or $2 million per season. The naming rights deal will expire in 2029.

4. Great American Ballpark, Home of the Cincinnati Reds.

American Financial Group, a Cincinnati based financial holding company, purchased the naming rights for the Reds' home ballpark in 2003. The deal will expire in 2033 and pays the Cincinnati Reds organization $75 million or $2.5 million per season.

5. Progressive Field, Home of the Cleveland Indians.

Progressive Corporation, a Cuyahoga County, Ohio based auto insurance provider, purchased the naming rights for the Indians' home ballpark in 2008. The deal is for 16 years, will expire in 2024 and pays the Cleveland Indians $58 million or $3.6 million per season. Progressive Field was previously known as Jacobs Field or "The Jake".

6. Coors Field, Home of the Colorado Rockies.

Colorado based Coors Brewing Company purchased the naming rights to Coors Field in 1995 for $15 million for an indefinite period of time. It is the only ballpark in Major League Baseball with an indefinite sponsorship agreement. Coors Field is one of two stadiums in professional sports with an indefinite naming rights agreement, the other being Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

7. Comerica Park, Home of the Detroit Tigers.

Comerica Bank, a Dallas based banking company, purchased the naming rights to the Tigers' downtown home in 2000 when it was erected. The deal will pay the Detroit Tigers organization $66 million for 30 years or $2.2 million per season. Comerica Bank was originally founded in Detroit, Michigan before relocating to Texas.

8. Minute Maid Park, Home of the Houston Astros.

Minute Maid, a beverage line and subsidiary of Coca-Cola Company, purchased the naming rights for the Houston Astros' home ballpark in 2001. The deal will pay the Houston Astros organization $178 million for 28 seasons or $6.36 million per season. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2029 and is the third largest naming rights deal in Major League Baseball.

9. Miller Park, Home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Milwaukee based Miller Brewing Company purchased the naming rights for the Brewers' home ballpark in 2000. The naming rights deal will run until 2020 and pays the Milwaukee Brewers organization $2.1 million per season or $40 million total.

10. Target Field, Home of the Minnesota Twins.

Retail giant Target Corporation purchased the naming rights to the Twins' home stadium in 2010. The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2035. Both Target and the Minnesota Twins declined to disclose the financial terms of the agreement which is uncommon. Experts estimate that the deal pays the Minnesota Twins organization $4 million to $6 million per season which is above the league average. Target Corporation, headquartered in Minneapolis, also purchased the naming rights to the adjacent Target Center, home of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.

11. Citi Field, Home of the New York Mets.

Investment banking giant Citigroup purchased the naming rights for Citi Field in 2008 before the ballpark opened. The terms of the deal includes $400 million dollars for 20 years or $20 million dollars per season. The deal will expire in 2028 and is the largest sponsorship agreement in Major League Baseball and the second largest in professional sports.

12. Citizens Bank Park, Home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Citizens Financial Group, a Rhode Island based banking company, purchased the naming rights for the Phillies' home ballpark in 2004. The deal nets the Philadelphia Phillies $95 million over 25 seasons or $3.8 million per season. The sponsorship agreement expires in 2029 and is the fifth largest naming rights deal in Major League Baseball.

13. PNC Park, Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

PNC Bank, a Pittsburgh based banking company, purchased the naming rights to PNC Park in 2000. The agreement will expire in 2020 and pays the Pittsburgh Pirates organization $2 million per season or $40 million total. PNC Bank also owns the naming rights to PNC Arena, home of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.

14. Petco Park, Home of the San Diego Padres.

Petco, a San Diego based animal supplies company, purchased the naming rights for the Padres' home ballpark in 2003. The sponsorship agreement will pay the San Diego Padres organization $60 million for 22 seasons or $2.73 million per season. The agreement expires in 2025.

15. AT&T Park, Home of the San Francisco Giants.

How the San Francisco Giants and their home stadium acquired the name AT&T Park is an interesting story. Pacific Bell, a telecommunications company, purchased the stadium's naming rights in 1996 for $50 million, four years before the stadium opened. The sponsorship agreement was good for 24 years or just over $2 million per season. However, SBC Communications purchased Pacific Bell and would later change it's own company name to simply "AT&T". The sponsorship agreement will expire in 2024. AT&T also owns the naming rights to the home stadiums of the Dallas Cowboys and San Antonio Spurs.

16. SafeCo Field, Home of the Seattle Mariners.

SafeCo Insurance, an auto insurance provider headquartered in Seattle, purchased the naming rights to the Mariners' home ballpark in 1999. The agreement will expire in 2019, a 20 year term that will pay the Seattle Mariners organization $40 million or $2 million per season.

17. Busch Stadium, Home of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company purchased the naming rights to the St. Louis Cardinals' home ballpark in 2006 when it first opened. The financial terms of the naming rights deal were undisclosed but the 20 year agreement is set to expire in 2026. Anheuser-Busch also held the naming rights to the St. Louis Cardinals' old ballpark, also called Busch Stadium.

18. Tropicana Field, Home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Tropicana Products Inc. purchased the naming rights to Tropicana Field in 1996 for $30 million. The deal will expire in 2026 and nets the Tampa Bay Rays organization roughly $1 million per season. The Tampa Bay Rays organization and their fans are currently making efforts to construct a new home for the ball club in downtown Tampa. Tropicana Field is located forty minutes away in St. Petersburg, Florida.

19. Globe Life Park in Arlington, Home of the Texas Rangers.

Globe Life Insurance, an Oklahoma City based life insurance provider, purchased the naming rights for the Texas Rangers' home ballpark in 2013. The deal pays the Texas Rangers organization $50 million for ten seasons or $5 million per season. The sponsorship agreement expires in 2023 and is the fourth largest naming rights deal in Major League Baseball.

20. The Rogers Centre, Home of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Rogers Communications, a Toronto based media company, purchased both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre in 2006. The ballpark will be permanently named the Rogers Centre and was formerly known as "The SkyDome". Rogers Communications also owns the naming rights to the home stadiums of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers.

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