San Jose Earthquakes Reach Naming Rights Agreement With PayPal

SAN JOSE, CA — PayPal has purchased the naming rights to the San Jose Earthquakes’ 18,000-seat soccer stadium, which will now be called PayPal Park.

The 10-year sponsorship deal between the San Jose-based tech giant PayPal and Silicon Valley’s pro soccer club was described in a news release Monday as a “landmark partnership” by Ian Anderson, the Earthquakes’ Vice President of Strategy.

Avaya previously had a 10-year, $20 million naming rights deal to the Earthquakes’ stadium when it opened in 2015, but its contract was cut short due to bankruptcy issues. The news release didn't disclose the price of PayPal's agreement, but the Mercury News reported that it "falls within the top half of MLS naming-rights agreements."

According to a news release, PayPal’s partnership will include a commitment to local small businesses, a reserved 250-seat section for members of underserved communities who will be given complimentary tickets and transportation to matches and the ability for fans to use PayPal and Venmo, which is owned by PayPal, when purchasing from stadium vendors.

“I’ve been very excited about this partnership from the moment we started thinking about it,” said Dan Schulman, President and CEO of PayPal, in a video statement. “We’re a very competitive company. We’re very much part of our community and we very much look forward to being a part of the Earthquakes as well.”

During each home game, the Earthquakes will promote a small business through signage and social media.

“Our community in San Jose is made up of some incredible global technology companies,” said Earthquakes COO Jared Shawlee in a video statement. “But the fabric of our community is really the local small businesses that make San Jose and the Bay Area great. We know COVID and the pandemic has been hard for these small businesses, and we’re thrilled to work with PayPal to support the rebound from the pandemic."

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said that the stadium offers the community a chance to “exhale” on the other end of the pandemic, and a chance to “safely gather and cheer together.”

“I think it’ll be a really beautiful, integrated experience and really showcase the technology not just of PayPal, but of Silicon Valley,” said Schulman.

The Earthquakes' first home game of the 2021 season is April 24.