• The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:30 AM

The recession and bailout have put a chill on sponsors' willingness to pay nine figures to put their names on major sport stadiums. For example, the NFL's New York Giants and the Jets still haven't found a corporation willing to pay up to $25 million a year to put its name on the shared stadium they are building in New Jersey's Meadowlands Sports Complex.

But yesterday, the Giants unveiled a 15-year naming-rights deal with Timex for the Giants' new training and practice facility, near the football stadium. While Timex doesn't get the high-profile stadium name, but a major presence on the team's radio broadcasts and on video-board advertising in the stadium. Home-game timeouts will be known as "Timex timeouts." Before games, tailgaters will see 16 digital clocks throughout the parking lots ticking off the "Timex countdown to kickoff." Cost to Timex: an estimated $35 million for 15 years.

These more attainable sponsorship contracts include the Miami Dolphins' one-season deal with Jimmy Buffett to rename their home Landshark Stadium, after the beer Buffett markets. Earlier this year, the Yankees also extended a limited sponsorship with Bank of America.

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