By SANDI CAIN
Honda Motor Co. has signed on as the new sponsor of the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, which plans to change its name to Honda Center in October.
The naming rights deal is the first for Honda and the first name change for the 13-year-old city-owned arena.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. A press conference is scheduled for October.
The announcement was made Wednesday to allow the Anaheim Ducks hockey team and vendors to prepare materials bearing the new name.
The Anaheim City Council earlier this year passed a resolution allowing the arena to bear a name that doesn’t include the city name, as long as the arena’s team uses the city name.
Naming rights for Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, a unit of Nestle SA, expire in September. The company was one of several bidders on the new contract, along with Honda.
“We have had a successful 13-year relationship with Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water and their title sponsorship helped develop the Arrowhead Pond into a world-class city asset,” the city said in a statement. “We expect to have a similarly successful relationship with American Honda Motor Co. and look forward to more outstanding events at Honda Center.”
