PAWTUCKET – Four years ago, when some doubt existed if professional soccer could thrive in Rhode Island, Centreville Bank Chairman, CEO and President Harold M. Horvat sensed Rhode Island FC was a first-class operation right from the start. Horvat and Centreville officials were impressed as to how the club’s co-founder and Fortuitous Partners Chairman Brett
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CENTREVILLE BANK was chosen by Rhode Island FC out of approximately 200 companies vetted by The Superlative Group for stadium naming rights.[/caption]
While he didn’t offer specifics on how many companies made offers, Peart said Rhode Island FC and Fortuitous Partners narrowed that pool down to “a handful” of potential suitors before declaring Centreville the winner.
Johnson told PBN Centreville was “exactly the partner” and “a dream” for the soccer club to partner with in having Centreville’s name branded all over the $128 million venue. Peart added that Centreville’s organizational and community-oriented culture is aligned for what Rhode Island FC wants to join forces with.
Plus, Centreville already had a partial jersey sponsor with Rhode Island FC and worked alongside the club on some community initiatives during the team’s inaugural season last year. Now, with Centreville having a stadium named after it, the Rhode Island-based company will build on the “Rhode Island’s own” culture the club is establishing locally.
“For us, that’s a significant part of what I feel like is a really powerful partnership and opportunity going forward,” Peart said. “This isn’t someone who showed up for the stadium. [Centreville] supported us through the first year and they have been here, worked with us closely.”
Peart declined to say how many years and the annual value of Centreville’s naming rights agreement are with the club, citing confidentiality. He did say the term is “comparable to industry standards.” Such standards he said range between 10 to 20 years of term.
Annual naming rights values around the USL Championship division are well into six figures, according to USL soccer officials. For example, Louisville City FC receives $962,000 per year from Dr. Mark Lynn, an who owns the Louisville, Ky.-based Visionworks franchise, to have the 11,700-seat venue named Lynn Family Stadium. In nearby Hartford, Conn., Trinity Health pays Hartford Athletic $750,000 annually to have the stadium named after the health organization.
Revenue generated from the naming rights will support stadium and team operations, Peart said. But Rhode Island FC building on a community partnership with Centreville intends to be more valuable than simple dollars and cents, he added.
Horvat told PBN having the venue named Centreville Bank Stadium is a unique opportunity because it’s been more than a quarter century since an outdoor stadium was built in Rhode Island. The last one: Beirne Stadium at Bryant University – Rhode Island FC’s home field a year ago – in 1998.
Plus, Centerville wanted to be part of soccer’s growing popularity in the U.S., including in Rhode Island, Horvat said. “We think this stadium will have that kind of an impact [on the community],” he said.
Also, the team’s immediate success last year was the “icing on the cake” for Centerville to sign on with Rhode Island FC in a big way, he said.
Horvat also said Centreville's stadium branding is part of the bank’s overall growth strategy, aligning with a company – Rhode Island FC – that he feels will bring “real economic benefit” to the area. Part of that growth includes Centreville back in late February 
HAROLD M. HORVAT, chairman, CEO and president of Centreville Bank, addresses the crowd Tuesday at the newly named Centreville Bank Stadium, home of Rhode Island FC, in Pawtucket. / PBN PHOTO/JAMES BESSETTE[/caption]
“We can see the opportunity here,” Horvat said. “We feel this will be a long-term investment for us. So, for the area and for the state of Rhode Island, we see this as a real plus, and we want to be part of it.”
Horvat also said the stadium name will help Centreville’s brand recognition and lead to more business growth across the state. Plus, this will be a continuation of Centreville being in the community, as well as wanting to help revitalize the city – particularly in downtown – Horvat said.
Various past community initiatives Centreville and the soccer club partnered on include sponsoring the