KeyBank Center Secures Naming Rights with the Buffalo Sabres for 10 More Years
The home of the Buffalo Sabres, KeyBank Center, will continue to bear that name thanks to a 10-year naming rights extension agreement, announced on Wednesday. The new agreement will take effect next year and will extend through the 2035-36 season.
The Cleveland-based bank has a strong regional presence in Buffalo and assumed the naming rights to the downtown stadium after acquiring First Niagara Bank in 2016. As part of the extension, the bank’s name will appear on the Sabres’ helmets for away games starting this season.
The stadium has been undergoing a series of necessary renovations since its inauguration in 1996. Last year, the Sabres replaced the roof and installed a new video scoreboard above center ice. The next series of renovations is expected to focus on improving seating and fan amenities.
The Sabres control the building, which also houses the Bandits, three-time defending champions of the National Lacrosse League, and have put an emphasis on adding more events since Pete Guelli took over as the team’s chief operating officer last year.
In November, the stadium will host one of the stops on Paul McCartney’s 2024 North American tour, as well as hosting a women’s hockey Rivalry Series game between the United States and Canada, prior to the Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, the Sabres have been struggling on the ice, with the team in the midst of a 14-season playoff drought, an NHL record.
