United Airlines to support redevelopment of L.A. Coliseum

United Airlines has acquired naming rights to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum under a deal that will aid a $270m (€220.8m) redevelopment of the iconic US stadium.

Under the 16-year agreement, the venue will officially become the United Airlines Memorial Coliseum beginning in August 2019. Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN.com said the deal is worth $69m.

United agreed the contract with the University of Southern California, operators of the Coliseum, and the company will also serve as the official airline of USC Athletics.

Janet Lamkin, president in California for United Airlines, said: “United has been a part of the Los Angeles community for more than 80 years. Sponsoring the Memorial Coliseum, an athletic and architectural icon, as well as USC, an intellectual and cultural beacon, reaffirms our broader commitment to serving the people, communities and business of this region.

“These investments to renovate and improve the stadium, as well as to sponsor the USC Trojans as they pursue excellence on and off the field, reinforce our overall investment in this vital market, while enhancing United's brand presence outside of the airport in one of the nation's largest cities.”

As well as college American football team the USC Trojans, the Coliseum also currently serves as the home of NFL team the Los Angeles Rams ahead of its move into a new stadium.

The only venue in the world to have hosted two Olympic Games, two Super Bowls and a World Series, the Coliseum will be home to both opening and closing ceremonies, as well as athletic events for the 2028 summer Olympics in Los Angeles.