ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills’ home has a new name: Highmark Stadium.
The newly rebranded health insurer, Highmark BlueCross, BlueShield of Western New York, has purchased the naming rights for what was simply known as Bills Stadium last season, the team announced on Thursday.
The move comes after Pittsburgh-based Highmark Inc. completed an affiliation agreement with the Buffalo-based HealthNow New York.
“The Bills are a beloved institution in Western New York, and there is no better way for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York to show that we plan to continue to be part of the fabric of this community than through this partnership,” Highmark CEO David Anderson said in a statement.
The stadium’s naming rights were available after Buffalo-based New Era Cap Company backed out of its agreement in July. The global sports headwear and clothing apparel company backed out at a time it was laying off more than 100 employees because of the coronavirus pandemic.
New Era was four years into a seven-year deal worth more than $35 million.
Terms of the deal with Highmark were not released. The Bills have scheduled a formal unveiling of the stadium’s new name on Tuesday.
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