McDonald's wins Chicago Fire stadium naming rights—venue now called “McDonald’s Park”

The Chicago Fire's new $750 million riverfront stadium will be called “McDonald's Park” after the fast-food chain agreed to its first U.S. naming-rights deal for a professional sports venue, according to Sports Business Journal. The privately funded, 22,000-seat stadium is scheduled to open in 2028.

The deal runs through 2040 and is structured as a 14-year agreement with two bridge years before the stadium opens, as reported by Sports Business Journal. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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A year-round destination on The 78

McDonald's Park will sit in The 78, a 62-acre development on Chicago's riverfront, and will be built as a year-round destination, according toMcDonald's corporate newsroom. Along with Chicago Fire home matches, the venue is expected to host concerts, special events, and other programming throughout the year.

The stadium will also feature a permanent McDonald's flagship restaurant that will be open to the public 365 days a year. Reporting from Sports Business Journal said the location is expected to cover 15,000 to 20,000 square feet, making it much larger than a typical standalone restaurant.

Business and community ties

Fire President of Business Operations Dave Baldwin said, “When you look at the ideal naming rights partner, you want someone who has massive global reach and local ties,” according to Sports Business Journal. 

McDonald's Global CMO and EVP/New Business Ventures, Morgan Flatley, said, “What I continue to get excited about is how we can take this physical space and use that almost as a media platform to talk about our brand and our role in sports and our role in culture to make it really extend beyond just this single physical location,” according to Sports Business Journal.

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In addition to naming rights, McDonald's will support the Fire's P.L.A.Y.S. Program, which provides free school-based soccer programming across Chicago Public Schools, according to both sources. The partnership is expected to expand the program from 70 schools to 140 by the stadium's opening, with a long-term goal of reaching 280 schools.

According to Sports Business Journal, the Fire also said the venue will host up to 45 major events a year and marks a major commercial step for the club. McDonald's has long been involved in soccer globally, including sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup and France's Ligue 1.