Bloomington to consider naming rights offer

BLOOMINGTON — The City of Bloomington’s Arts & Entertainment Department will host a press conference on Wednesday to announce a new naming rights opportunity for Grossinger Motors Arena.

The announcement comes during a period of exceptional growth for the arena. Over the past year, Grossinger Motors Arena distributed more than 192,000 tickets, hosted 68 events, and generated nearly 82 million annual media impressions. This reflects the venue’s growing reach and impact throughout Central Illinois.

The arena’s growth has been further fueled by the success of the Bloomington Bison. In their second season, the team delivered a playoff run and sold out all 24 corporate suites. In addition, they drove substantial increases in attendance, season ticket memberships, and corporate partnerships. The Bison have quickly established themselves as a key driver of fan engagement and community excitement throughout the region.

Time for a new naming rights opportunity

With continued growth and increasing regional visibility, city and arena leadership believe now is the ideal time to introduce a naming rights opportunity that will help shape the next chapter of the facility.

“This is a unique opportunity to become part of the next chapter of the arena’s history,” said Anthony Nelson, Director of Arts & Entertainment for the City of Bloomington. “With attendance reaching levels not seen since the building’s opening years, more than 80 million annual media impressions, and a growing lineup of concerts, sporting events, and family entertainment, there has never been a better time for a company to connect its brand to the excitement and energy surrounding our venue.”

Nelson also noted that they look forward to finding a partner that shares its vision for continued growth and community impact.

The press conference will provide an overview of the arena’s recent growth. In addition, it will also address the value of the naming rights opportunity and the vision for the future of the venue.

Members of the media, community leaders, business representatives, sponsors, and interested stakeholders are invited to attend. The event will be hosted by the City of Bloomington’s Arts & Entertainment Department in partnership with the Bloomington Bison.

The push for a naming rights change

The push for a change comes eight years after Grossinger’s sale to AutoCanada in 2018 for $86 million. Leader Automotive Group, a subsidiary of AutoCanada, operated most of those former Grossinger dealerships. However, in 2025, AutoCanada sought to sell 13 of its 17 Illinois dealerships for an undisclosed amount.

In other words, there is no Grossinger presence in Bloomington-Normal outside of its name on the arena. Grossinger hasn’t had a local presence in the area for eight years. Grossinger sold off its dealerships to a Canadian auto conglomerate.

It will be up to the greater Bloomington-Normal business community to determine what that new name will be. (Just don’t name it after State Farm. That’s a walking, talking PR nightmare waiting to happen.)