Fort Smith School Board Renames Fields After $400,000 Coca-Cola Deal

The Fort Smith School Board has approved a $400,000 naming rights agreement with Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Fort Smith. The deal will see the football fields at Northside and Southside high schools renamed after the beverage giant.

Under the terms of the 10-year agreement, Coca-Cola will pay $40,000 per year for 10 years, with the first payment due by October 15 this year. In return, the fields will display Coca-Cola logos and sponsorship announcements during sporting events.

The district will also receive a rebate of $3 per unit on all Coca-Cola products purchased through the child nutrition department, excluding dairy products and other controlled beverages. This is not the first time the district has partnered with Coca-Cola, as a previous 10-year sponsorship for the fields ended several years ago.

Board members Brad Harding, Lynnett Lott, Board President Phil Whiteaker, and Maria Martinez voted in favor of the agreement, while Matt Garner and Brittney Hall opposed it. Garner questioned the district's decision to sell Coca-Cola products as part of the agreement, stating that 'it seems very quid pro quo.'

The naming rights agreement is expected to bring in revenue for the district's athletic program, with Board President Phil Whiteaker saying that the deal brings $400,000 to the program and that he sees no issue with Coca-Cola asking the district to sell their products.