ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs soon will need a new name.
ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages will not renew its naming rights deal with the baseball stadium that has served as the home of the IronPigs since their inaugural 2008 season, it was announced.
"The IronPigs will be concluding our naming rights partnership with Coca-Cola in September of 2027, as at that time our current agreement will come to its successful completion,” IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes said at a joint news conference Tuesday.
The stadium has carried just one name — Coca-Cola Park — since it opened and was the first professional sports venue in the country named specifically for the iconic soft drink.
“We have been blessed, and I mean, absolutely blessed, to have such a great partner with us,"IronPigs President and GM Kurt Landes
“This is a tough announcement,” Landes said. “We respect and understand that Coca-Cola Park means a lot to many, many people in the community.
"It has an emotional connection that brings with it a lot of memories, and we respect and understand that.
“That happens for a lot of people, including our staff, my friends at Coca-Cola. But today is really about celebrating the past two decades with Coca-Cola.
“We have been blessed, and I mean absolutely blessed, to have such a great partner with us," he said.
“For the first two decades of naming rights to have Coca-Cola and their name on a ballpark has meant a lot to our entire community, the investment they've made in us, the belief they had.”
'A deliberate and thoughtful process'
Landes said the IronPigs will begin a “deliberate and thoughtful process” to find their next partner.
“It’s going to be a long, thoughtful, purposeful process for us to find a partner that's been as dedicated and as amazing as Coca-Cola," he told LehighValleyNews.com following the announcement.
"Today kicks off that process.
"I think it's a chance to recognize Coca-Cola as the great partner that they've been and to thank them publicly for allowing us to have an iconic name on what's become an iconic ballpark in Minor League Baseball.”
The job now becomes finding a partner that “stands side-by-side with you and recognizes that our two brands together become entangled in a positive community-forward effort,” Landes said.
"It’s a significant mission for us, because I carry a lot of responsibility of doing the right thing for the franchise, for Lehigh County, for the Lehigh Valley region overall."IronPigs President and GM Kurt Landes
“We want an individual or company that recognizes the criticalness of being community-minded, philanthropic [and] shares the same values as us. And at our core that’s providing family affordable fun and providing memories.
“So it’s not necessarily about finding the fastest partner, but about finding the right partner for us.
"It’s a significant mission for us, because I carry a lot of responsibility of doing the right thing for the franchise, for Lehigh County, for the Lehigh Valley region overall.”
Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel said he would work with the IronPigs to help identify a new sponsor "who will serve as Coca-Cola did, not only as a corporate partner, but as a true community partner for the future.”
In a statement, Siegel said he was grateful for Coca-Cola's partnership with the IronPigs, who are the Philadelphia Phillies' Triple A affiliate.
"Coca-Cola has been an exceptional partner to both the IronPigs and IronPigs Charities, helping to create lasting memories for fans and families throughout the region," he said.
A premiere venue
Since opening in 2008, Coca-Cola Park has established itself as one of Minor League Baseball’s premier venues.
It has earned widespread acclaim for its design, atmosphere and fan-first experience.
The ballpark has collected numerous awards and distinctions, including Ballpark Digest’s Best New Ballpark and Ballpark of the Year.
It also has been recognized with a Tourism Award from the Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau and designated Project of the Year by the March of Dimes Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Awards Committee.
That reputation continues to translate into turnstile success.
The IronPigs led Minor League Baseball in attendance in 2025, drawing 585,167 fans — an average of 8,242 per game at Coca-Cola Park.
It marked the second time in three years the IronPigs have finished as outright MiLB attendance champions in both total and average attendance, the third consecutive season they led in total attendance and the ninth time overall the franchise has paced the minors in either category.
'The experience at the ballpark won't change'
Coca-Cola Park’s staying power in Allentown also has been reinforced by continued reinvestment in the fan experience.
The ballpark added the Tiki Terrace and Oasis in 2012, followed by the popular Hot Corner and Bacon Strip in 2013.
The 2015 season marked the advent of the Pig Pen, a seating area that put fans directly in front of the players in the left field bullpens and just inches away from the on-field action.
Two years later — the 10th anniversary season — the IronPigs debuted a series of state-of-the-art HD videoboards, highlighted by an enormous 43-by-73-foot main HD videoboard that was the largest in Minor League Baseball at the time.
Additional public-facing upgrades followed ahead of the 2025 season, including a new diamond warning track, improved drainage system and a regraded infield.
But in addition to naming rights and financial investment in the ballpark experience, Coca-Cola annually supports IronPigs Charities, the team’s nonprofit foundation.
It has participated in numerous community and philanthropic efforts over the years.
“It’s emotional,” Landes said in discussing the signature events and fundraising initiatives that have tied the IronPigs and Coca-Cola to the community.
“We recognize and respect the attachment that our fans have with the name, but the experience at the ballpark won't change in terms of the affordability.
“Finding another partner that wants to invest in not just the ballpark and the IronPigs, but it's an investment in the community, and who recognizes that this is a great thing, the things we do with our charities, the things like how we give back.
“This is the number one memory-making vehicle in the Lehigh Valley, and I think there's a lot of great equity in the brand that we've built together with Coca-Cola and the IronPigs.
“I'm confident we’re going to be able to find a partner that has that same goal and vision as we do going forward.”
While the stadium's naming rights will transition, fans still will be able to enjoy Coca-Cola products at IronPigs games.
ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages will remain a founding partner of the organization and an active partner, Landes said.
