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The Cincinnati Bengals could be close to re-naming Paul Brown Stadium as the team potentially closes in on a naming rights deal.
According to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the team hopes to have a deal in place before the start of the season, so it has already notified city and county officials of the plans to encourage a fast approval process.
This isn’t the first major change when it comes to the Bengals and facilities recently. The stadium itself underwent recent improvements and isn’t done on that front. An estimated cost of nearly $500 million for further upgrades might explain the willingness to do a naming rights deal now. Cincinnati has also moved forward with the construction of its practice bubble.
PBS opened in 2000 and the current lease with Hamilton County expires in 2026, setting up a crucial few years for the team and city.
The Bengals are one of just three teams without a naming rights deal (Packers, Bears). They could choose to follow the Chiefs (GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium), retaining Paul Brown Stadium in the name.
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