Exclusive: Raiders, Raising Cane’s Reach 6-Figure Deal to Allow Fast Food Chicken Chain To Use Raiders Logo
By ALAN SNEL
The Raiders are still three years from moving into their Las Vegas stadium, but the NFL team has already cut a one-year business sponsorship agreement in Vegas for a six-figure deal to allow the Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers chain to use the famed Raiders logo on its items, LVSportsBiz.com exclusively learned.
Signs with the Raiders and Raising Cane’s logos have sprung up around the Vegas Valley, including a sign on a wall along the 215 loop highway in the southwest valley.
The message reads, “Coming 8/30/17 #Impatiently Waiting.”
Raising Cane’s also posted the “Impatiently Waiting” message on its Facebook page Aug. 14.
The Raiders corporate sponsorship sales staff was able to reach an agreement with Raising Cane’s for six figures to permit the chicken finger chain to place the Raiders logo on items such as soda cups for one year, LVSportsBiz.com learned.
The Raiders sponsorship deal is significant because it shows the NFL team is already securing business partnerships with Las Vegas businesses even with its 65,000-seat stadium still three years from opening. LVSportsBiz.com is unaware of any other Raiders business sponsorship deals in the Las Vegas market. The Raiders do allow the Local 872 Laborers union to use the Raiders mark on the Laborers’ bus.
Raising Cane’s was founded by Todd Graves in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La., and has more than 330 restaurants in 23 states with multiple new restaurants under construction, according to the restaurant’s website. It opened its first Las Vegas site in 2006.
Raising Cane’s is already a UNLV sports sponsor.
“They have not even told the workers what the deal is behind the sign,” an assistant manager at a local Raising Cane’s store said Monday.
Raiders gear is already showing up at retail locations around Las Vegas. For example, big retailer Costco was selling Raiders party tents and folding chairs at its Summerlin location.
Shirts and caps with the Raiders logo are showing up at sports retail clothing shops such as Sports Town in the Downtown Summerlin shopping district.
The Raiders are building a $1.8 billion domed stadium project off Russell Road along Polaris Avenue on the west side of Interstate 15. And the team will be constructing a $100 million practice facility.
Local Las Vegas contractor, construction and service companies are eager to apply for the stadium project, which will receive $750 million in public dollars — the biggest public stadium subsidy in the NFL.
To give $750 million to the Raiders, the public will have to raise $1.2 billion over 30 years to pay for the bonds that will be issued next year. A hotel room fee increase approved by the state Legislature will pay for the public’s share. More than $17 million in room fee increases have been collected since March.
Contact LVSportsBiz.com founder/writer Alan Snel at asnel@LVSportsBiz.com
