'It's more than a venue' | Naming rights extension symbolic of Sabres, KeyBank's shared commitment to Buffalo

Chiwuike Owunwanne still vividly remembers his first concert experience, a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony show he attended at KeyBank Center when he was in high school.

It’s a shared experience for most who have lived or grown up in Western New York since 1996: the sights, sounds, and smells associated with attending an event at Buffalo’s downtown arena.

“It’s more than just a venue,” Owunwanne said. “In a lot of ways, it’s a place where people get to come and just be with each other.”

Today, Owunwanne is corporate responsibility officer for KeyBank, which is helping to make that experience possible for the next generation of Buffalonians.

The Sabres and KeyBank announced on Wednesday a 10-year extension to their existing arena naming rights deal, which will run through the 2035-36 season. KeyBank will also become the team’s helmet sponsor for away games.

As part of the lease extension, the two sides have joined to introduce the HocKey Assists Community Program, which will aim to “inspire pride and possibility throughout Western New York through educational outreach, small business growth and grassroots engagement.”

“It makes me feel very proud to be part of KeyBank, an organization that is just incredibly tethered to the Buffalo community,” Owunwanne said. “I live here, I work here, I’m raising a family here. So, having organizations that are that deeply rooted in the community and are doing things to propel the community, all of that is super impactful.”

In addition to shared community outreach, the partnership between the Sabres and KeyBank ties two Western New York pillars to the city’s premier entertainment hub. KeyBank, which is celebrating its bicentennial in 2025, operates its northeast headquarters in Buffalo and operates 59 branches in the area.

Representatives from KeyBank and the Sabres – including Sabres Owner, CEO and President Terry Pegula and COO Pete Guelli along with KeyCorp Chairman and CEO Chris Gorman and Buffalo Market President Mike McMahon – were joined by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Mayor of Buffalo Chris Scanlon at an event announcing the naming rights extension on Wednesday, where they detailed the arena’s economic impact.

Pegula outlined a study conducted by consulting firm Tripp Umbach which determined that KeyBank Center had a $694.2 million economic impact in 2023, creating jobs for 3,822 people and generating $48.6 million in taxes.

“This arena is a cornerstone of the economy in Western New York,” Pegula said.

The Sabres seek to further that impact by adding to their event calendar, which has been one of Guelli’s primary objectives since taking over as COO in 2024. KeyBank Center is hosting approximately 140 events in 2025 – up from a typical average of roughly 120 events – with the goal to increase that number to 200 events annually in the coming years.

“Every time this arena is full and every time the football stadium is full with paid tickets in which there’s sales tax involved, that benefits the entire community,” Poloncarz said. “… Every time this arena’s lights are on, it helps ensure the future of our community, our school districts.”

The naming rights extension, too, further symbolizes the Sabres’ commitment to Buffalo. Pegula privately funded the installation of a new roof and state-of-the-art videoboard ahead of last season. The roof, Poloncarz said, would have otherwise been a county expense.

The Sabres are exploring additional upgrades to the arena and will have dialogue with the county on next steps regarding the lease agreement, which the team can extend for five to 10 more years.

“Our goal is to make sure this team is here long term and well situated,” Guelli said. “We think this building is a catalyst for growth in downtown Buffalo. That’s why we’re trying to program as many nights a year as we possibly can.”

KeyBank will continue to support that mission, as it has since 2016.

“Buffalo is a critical part of our story and who we are today,” Gorman said. “We proudly display our name here as a symbol of our belief in Buffalo. It’s not just branding. It’s about a promise that we are here, we care, and we are invested in helping Buffalo continue to thrive.”