The name of the longtime home of the Colorado Avalanche has been changed to Ball Arena to reflect the new branding partnership.
Keep that Ball in the air, Colorado Avalanche.
The Pepsi Center, the longtime home of the Colorado Avalanche for over 20 years, is no more. With a new global partnership between Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and Ball Corporation, there’s a new ball in town.
In a statement released by KS&E, the home of the Avs, as well as the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and NLL’s Colorado Mammoth, will be renamed to the Ball Arena, partnering with other KS&E owned teams. The partnership is a collaboration with Ball, a world leader in sustainable aluminum packaging, aiming to “advance sustainability in sports and entertainment by strengthening in-venue aluminum recycling.” The partnership was also announced on a video posted on the Avalanche Twitter, featuring captain Gabriel Landeskog and Erik Johnson.
A Colorado-based company, Ball Corporation has been creating metal packaging since 1880, for foods and household products, beverages, and personal care, having more than 18,300 employees worldwide, and a net worth of $11.5 billion.
It’s part of an initiative the then-Pepsi Center began enforcing last year, when recycable aluminum cups were made available at home games. KS&E has since slowly starting moving away from plastic products.
According to The Athletic’s Ryan Clark, the name “Pepsi Vision” will be replaced, as well as the Pepsi statue shelved for Bell branding. The drink itself will still be served at the arena.
The name itself has been met with indifference. But the formerly known “The Can” has since found itself with a few, er, observations.
Whatever the name, it’s been a good run, Pepsi Center. While fans are sure to still call it “The Can” for years to come, I welcome the Ball.