This date in deal history: CMGI scores naming rights

Aug. 23, 2000: At the height of the dot-com bubble, Internet incubator CMGI won the right to affix its name to the New England Patriots new stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The Boston-area firm paid $100 million for 15 years, beating both local and international competitors including British Airways, Nokia, FleetBoston and Monster.com. However, fans of NFL football may recall that the three-time Super Bowl champions play at Gillette Stadium, not CMGI Field. When the dot-com era came to an abrupt end, CMGI could not pay the NFL franchise. In turn, the Patriots re-sold the naming rights to razor maker Gillette, so on opening day in Sept. 9, 2002, the Patriots inaugurated Gillette Stadium. CMGI has a tenuous link to the stadium. Former portfolio company uBid has an entrance named for it. —Matthew Wurtzel

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