Sempra Joins Staples Team of Sponsors

San Diego-based energy peddler Sempra Energy Corp. is getting its name in lights, announcing Wednesday that it signed on as a founding corporate sponsor of Staples Center.

In a 10-year partnership agreement worth more than $20 million, Sempra Energy, parent of Southern California Gas & San Diego Gas & Electric, will parade its brand name before fans of the Los Angeles Kings, Lakers and Clippers, and attendees of other events at the arena, which opens next fall in downtown Los Angeles.

Sempra subsidiaries will provide energy services for the arena and help design a cooling facility and energy infrastructure for the entertainment district planned next to the arena, the company said. Sempra also will be able to negotiate an agreement to finance, build, own and operate those energy facilities.

The agreement includes, among other things, identification as a Kings sponsor in advertisements.

Sempra Energy was created in June by the merger of Los Angeles-based Pacific Enterprises, parent of Southern California Gas, and San Diego-based Enova Corp., parent of San Diego Gas & Electric. Those two utility subsidiaries, which are operated separately, serve more customers on a combined basis than any other utility in the nation.

“This is the beginning of an aggressive branding campaign that really will get the name of Sempra Energy, and its business strategy, out into the marketplace,” said Jerry Florence, senior vice president of corporate communications.

Staples Center previously signed eight corporate marketing partners such as United Airlines and the Los Angeles Times, which will be allowed to plug their products in a variety of new ways.

Sempra’s promotions will include “visibility” on the center’s two 135-foot-tall freeway-adjacent marquees and an interactive display at the arena.