Branding is everything in sports, especially when it comes to stadium naming rights. Companies pay hefty sums just for their name to appear as fans enter on game day. With the new Las Vegas Raiders stadium set to open a year from this week, Raiders president Marc Badain announced the team would be partnering with Summerlin-based Allegiant Airlines. The stadium will officially be named Allegiant Stadium.

The announcement came this morning during the “topping ceremony” after the final steel beams were put in place this weekend. Considering Allegiant Airlines is a Las Vegas-based corporation, the name makes sense. In fact, many fans are already calling the new stadium “The AL,” in honor of the late Raiders owner Al Davis. The team lifted a new banner over Allegiant Stadium as well, signaling a major step in the construction process.

“This city was built by pioneers, entrepreneurs and risk takers,” Badain said. “People we weren’t afraid to think a little differently and buck convention and that’s in the Raiders’ DNA so we can sympathize with that. We identify with it. So when we were looking for a stadium naming partner, we were really excited that a locally-based company that shares that part of their DNA — they’re not afraid to think differently, they’re not afraid to buck convention, they’re not afraid to do things differently — stepped up and decided they wanted to partner with us.

“They wanted to be a part of something really special here. So, from this day forward, I’d like to announce that the stadium will not be knows as Allegiant Stadium, and we’re really excited they’re on board.”

Live: Watch the Topping Out ceremony at the stadium construction site in Las Vegas where the highest beam is lifted into place. https://t.co/ccm4DfEoax — Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) August 5, 2019

The price for applying a name for Allegiant Stadium was expected to cost roughly $25 million per year for 20 years. Allegiant Airlines already has a corporate deal as the “Official Domestic Airline Partner” of the Vegas Golden Knights. Its logo appearing on the ice at Vegas Golden Knights games at T-Mobile Arena, one of four corporate sponsorship spots on the ice near the center line. Allegiant Airlines also sponsors the Las Vegas Aviators Triple-A baseball team, which is also based in Summerlin. The Las Vegas Ballpark was even recently named the top ballpark for the 2019 season.

The US low-cost airline previously denied back in May that it had filed for trademark protection of the venue, but a deal looked imminent late last week, with Yahoo Sports also reporting Allegiant will part with approximately $25 million a season over a period of 20 years to lend its name to the new build.

The ceremony included a new Raiders banner being raised up onto the stadium. A select few Raider greats signed the last beam before it was raised. The glass top is expected to be installed on top of the stadium trusses this week, while the construction is set to be completed less than 365 days from today.

Raiders owner Mark Davis signs the ceremonial beam ahead of it being lifted to top of the @LasVegasStadium. #vegas #raiders #allegiantstadium pic.twitter.com/0VUf3l9BwI — Mick Akers (@mickakers) August 5, 2019