City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MARCH 24, 2026 FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: APPROVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT (NO COST TIME EXTENSION) TO THE PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE SUPERLATIVE GROUP, INC., TO CONTINUE WORK ON NAMING RIGHTS SPONSORSHIP ASSET INVENTORY AND VALUATION SERVICES ISSUE:
Approve the Second Amendment (no cost time extension) to the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with The Superlative Group, Inc., to continue work for the City of Riverside on naming rights sponsorship asset inventory and valuation services.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Approve the Second Amendment (no cost time extension) to the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with The Superlative Group, Inc., to continue work for the City of Riverside on naming rights sponsorship asset inventory and valuation services; and Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the Second Amendment with The Superlative Group, Inc., including making minor corrections as necessary.
BACKGROUND:
On August 4, 2022, staff issued Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 2203 for the provision of providing professional services for sponsorship valuation, naming rights and sales.
On March 21, 2023, the City Council awarded RFP No. 2203 to The Superlative Group, Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio to analyze naming rights opportunities for the City and potentially represent the City in sales negotiations. Superlative has assisted the City in structuring a naming rights program in terms of implementation policies and best practices, valuing potential naming locations, and searching for potential partnerships.
Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, The Superlative Group is one of the foremost U.S., experts in the valuation and sale of Naming Rights and corporate sponsorships for public and private sector clients. Over the past 28 years, Superlative has garnered almost $3 billion in naming rights sponsorship and premium seating revenue for clients such as the City of Sacramento, City of Palmdale, City of Placer Valley, City of Irvine, City of Santa Monica California State University System, UCI Health, numerous California transit agencies, and Cal Baptist University in Riverside.
DISCUSSION:
The Superlative Group, Inc. has assisted the City to analyze various assets for potential naming rights and corporate partnership sales. Superlative applies an impressions-based fair market valuation using a “cost per thousand” criteria to value naming rights. In this analysis, a potential naming for a building or billboard would attract attention because of its placement, and the aggregate of views for that naming placement would be valued based on demographic, media market trends, and other characteristics (e.g., size, rotation, demand, population) of the greater Riverside market.
For Riverside, The Superlative Group analyzed major buildings (Convention Center, Fox Theater) and other assets that could be packaged for naming rights (parks facilities, trails, etc.) and also the potential to brand festivals and events. Currently, The Superlative Group is engaging the local Riverside market and trying to negotiate naming rights opportunities with local and regional businesses.
Superlative has been working in a challenging local market where, because of the potential for a national economic contraction, potential partners are taking longer to analyze and budget large advertising decisions such as naming partnerships. On April 2, 2025, the City and Superlative entered into a First Amendment that extended their Professional Consultant Services Agreement until December 31, 2025. Because of delays in sponsorship negotiations, The Superlative Group and the City are requesting a Second Amendment (no cost time extension) (Exhibit A) that would extend their contract until December 31, 2026. There will be no additional cost to the City for work completed by The Superlative Group from contract extension through December 31, 2026.
The original agreement was approved by City Council in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101 Section 508(c) which states, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder, except that…(c) Contracts procured through Formal Procurement for Services or Professional Services, where a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications was used to solicit Bids, shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications…” Purchasing Resolution 24101 Section 1104 “Change Orders” states that “Modifications to a Purchase Order shall be made only by Change Order. Subject to the availability of funds, Change Orders may be utilized for purposes of…(5) modifying contract completion time or the term of a Contract.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended action is in compliance with Purchasing Resolution 24101.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact for the Second Amendment contemplated in this report as it is a no cost time extension. Specific future naming rights deals would be valued based on current market conditions, the asset itself, and negotiations with the potential partner.
Prepared by: Jeff McLaughlin, Grants Administrator
Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Interim Finance Director Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachment:
Exhibit A – Second Amendment (no cost extension) with The Superlative Group, Inc.
Second Amendment – Superlative Group ● Page 2