Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse’s Carrier Dome will receive its first-ever name change as JMA Wireless will take over for Carrier as the venue’s naming rights holder, Sportico reported on Friday. 

SU reached a settlement with Carrier Global Corporation to end its perpetual naming rights, according to Sportico. The Dome had been under the Carrier name since its opening on Sept. 20, 1980. 

Syracuse first hinted at potential changes in 2019 when it began referring to the stadium as the “Dome,’” “the Stadium” or the “Loudhouse” in the preseason football media guide. Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in 2019 that there was “no rhyme or reason” for a change, and that the department didn’t reach out to Carrier about a change. 

“Our fans, I’ve been coming to games forever, I’ve always referred to it as the Dome,” Wildhack said. “The name Carrier is on the outside of the building. There’s no intent.”

JMA Wireless was founded in 2012 by John Mezzalingua and is based in Syracuse. JMA created the first fully virtualized RAN for carrier and private networks as well as the first U.S. indoor 5G millimeter wave radio. 

According to Sportico, the change would likely command at least $3.25 million annually on the open market, citing a report from an outside marketing group. But Sportico didn’t include terms of the settlement. Carrier paid $2.75 million for lifetime naming rights back when the Dome was first constructed.

This article will be updated with additional reporting.

Published on April 15, 2022 at 1:44 pm

Contact Anish: asvasude@syr.edu | @anish_vasu