Swarm Extend Lease with Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Announce Name Rights Deal with Novant Health
October 6, 2022 – NBA G League (G League) – Greensboro Swarm News Release
Hornets Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Greensboro Swarm, announced today that the organization’s NBA G League affiliate has extended its lease with the Greensboro Coliseum Complex and entered into a naming rights partnership with Novant Health for what will now be known as the Novant Health Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.
“When we made the decision seven years ago to locate our NBA G League team in Greensboro, we knew we had selected a city with a great love for the game of basketball, and we are excited to extend our lease and remain in Greensboro long-term,” said Hornets Sports & Entertainment President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “The city, the corporate community, and, most importantly, the fans have embraced our team and give us great support night in and night out. We’re equally excited to have our longtime partner Novant Health growing its relationship with the Swarm and putting its name on the Fieldhouse.”
The five-year lease extension, which runs through the 2027-28 season, also includes several renovations and upgrades to the building, which are focused in the areas of fan experience, player development, and team and league growth. During the 2023 offseason, the Novant Health Fieldhouse will add an approximately 13 feet-by-23 feet videoboard on the wall behind section 101 below the existing scoreboard. The videoboard will allow for usage of live action, replays, in-game programming during breaks in play, additional graphics and more. Another change to enhance the fan experience will be the relocating of duct work in order to upgrade the venue’s acoustics and improve the line of sight from some seating locations.
“Greensboro has exceeded our expectations as a home for our team,” said Swarm President Steve Swetoha. “Our fans are amazing, and the Fieldhouse is an outstanding place to watch a game. With the improvements we have planned over the next few years and Novant Health coming on board as our naming rights partner, the experience of attending a Swarm game is only going to get better.”
From a player development standpoint, the Novant Health Fieldhouse will get a new state-of-the-art court that will feature additional playing surfaces for practices that can be removed for games. This will allow the team to have five goals during practice rather than just the primary two. As the Hornets continue to rely on the Swarm as an asset for player development, the team has significantly grown its basketball staff. The area that formerly contained staff workspace will be used to make changes to the Swarm locker room, including increasing the size of the training and weight rooms and adding a recovery pool. The former media workroom will be reconfigured as a film room and staff workspace, and the media work area near the box office that was utilized during the 2021-22 season will become the permanent media work area.
“We are excited to continue to serve as the home of the Greensboro Swarm,” said Greensboro Coliseum Complex Managing Director Matt Brown. “Swarm games provide a fun and affordable family-friendly environment and are an integral part of the myriad entertainment options we provide to our community. The planned improvements for the Novant Health Fieldhouse will provide the team what we believe is the finest facility in the G League.”
In complement to the lease extension, Novant Health strengthens its connection to the Swarm and the Triad area by becoming the naming rights partner for the Fieldhouse. The new name will take effect immediately, and Novant Health Fieldhouse signage will be installed both inside and outside the venue over the next several months. The Novant Health Fieldhouse is just the fifth arena in the G League with a corporate naming rights deal that neither shares its venue with another professional sports team nor is open to the public as a training facility.
“It’s a privilege to serve as the Swarm’s official healthcare provider and we’re thrilled to broaden our commitment to the team and Greensboro through the Novant Health Fieldhouse,” said Chad Setliff, president of Novant Health’s greater Winston-Salem market. “We’re proud to be part of the Swarm family and look forward to welcoming fans and players to the 2022-23 season.”
The Greensboro Swarm will tip off the 2022-23 NBA G League season on Friday, November 4, when they host the Delaware Blue Coats. Season Ticket Memberships, Mini Plans and single-game tickets are on sale now at gsoswarm.com.
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