• by Larissa Faw , March 1, 2016

Horizon Media is entering the sports-naming rights business. 

Horizon’s Scout Sports & Entertainment and Bungalow Horizon are teaming with sports-rights agency MP & Silva for a branded partnership serving Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) -- owner and operator of the NBA's Washington Wizards, NHL's Washington Capitals and WNBA's Washington Mystics.

Under this deal, MP & Silva serves as the main commercial partner of MSE and will be commercializing the naming rights of Verizon Center, Washington Wizards' and Capitals' home arena. 

Verizon’s current naming rights deal expires in 2018.

Scout will provide MSE and MP & Silva with a wide array of global business analytics to further support and define MSE’s opportunities in the global marketplace. Bungalow Horizon will develop a number of content opportunities to support the initiative.  

This deal underscores Horizon's expansion beyond its traditional media-buying expertise. “Content has become such an important part of strategic partnerships with brands,” stated Bob Friedman, CEO of integrated entertainment company, Bungalow Media + Entertainment.

Horizon became part of the deal after MSE reached out to it to submit an RFP.