CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati and First Financial Bank (“First Financial”, Nasdaq: FFBC) have entered into a multiple-year agreement during which First Financial Bank will be the club’s Exclusive Banking and Financial Services Partner.
The partnership was announced today at First Financial’s headquarters in downtown Cincinnati and included FC Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding and First Financial President & CEO Archie M. Brown, Jr.
The landmark agreement includes club and stadium assets – both at Nippert Stadium in 2019 and 2020 and at West End Stadium starting in 2021 – as well as community programming, fan experiences, game day and in-game activations and consumer banking programs.
First Financial Bank will become a very visible partner to Tri-State area consumers. First Financial will issue an FC Cincinnati-branded debit card and set up ITMs/ATMs at West End Stadium when it opens in 2021.
Among other public-facing elements of the partnership are a First Financial Gate at both Nippert Stadium on FCC game days and then a permanent gate at West End Stadium. First Financial will also have the opportunity to name a premium club area in West End Stadium.
“We are thrilled to welcome First Financial Bank to the FC Cincinnati family,” FCC President and General Manager Jeff Berding said. “Serving the community is a key value in all we do, so we are thrilled to add First Financial, a home town bank, as our newest corporate partner. We will always work to be winning, family friendly and visible in the community, and First Financial epitomizes the same values. This partnership is a great fit for both of us and we’re looking forward to a long, productive relationship.”
“First Financial is an active member of the community and this partnership highlights our commitment and investment to the Greater Cincinnati area. FC Cincinnati has been an incredible example of the passion, excellence, and success that the Cincinnati community works toward every day. We are proud and excited to join FCC as it begins its journey in the MLS,” said Archie M. Brown, Jr.
First Financial is one of the financing partners as FC Cincinnati continues construction on West End Stadium. The $250M project is underway and is expected to be completed in early 2021 in time for the start of the 2021 Major League Soccer series.
As two anchors in the Greater Cincinnati community, First Financial Bank and FC Cincinnati are a natural fit as FCC moves into Major League Soccer in 2019.
First Financial Bank is a full-service financial institution headquartered in Cincinnati which operates more than 150 banking centers in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. First Financial Bank combines world-class financial expertise with personal customer service that builds lifelong relationships. For more information about products and offers related to FC Cincinnati, visit www.bankatfirst.com/fccincinnati.
FC Cincinnati is one of the hottest sports properties in America, having stormed onto the sporting landscape in the last three seasons. Building on record-setting crowds and on-field performance – as well as world-wide acclaim – FC Cincinnati is moving to the top flight of professional soccer, Major League Soccer, in the United States and Canada in 2019.
The next time Cincinnati takes the field, it will be as MLS’ 24th team in 2019 when the club debuts in the top professional league in the U.S. and Canada.
FC Cincinnati’s debut MLS game will be at Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, March 2, at CenturyLink Field. The Orange and Blue will make its home debut as an MLS team at Nippert Stadium on Sunday, March 17, when the team hosts MLS Cup finalist Portland Timbers at 5 p.m. Tickets to that game are currently exclusively available only through 2019 Season Tickets Memberships, which start at $199 and are now on sale atfccincinnati.com/tickets.
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. For more information about FC Cincinnati tickets - including 2019 season tickets - call 513-977-KICK (5425) or visit fccincinnati.com/tickets.
ABOUT FC CINCINNATI
FC Cincinnati is a professional soccer team that enters Major League Soccer as the league’s 24th team this season. The club’s ownership group is led by majority owner Carl H. Lindner III and also includes Scott Farmer and George Joseph. Launched in 2015 by Lindner III and current President and General Manager Jeff Berding, FCC began play in the USL in 2016. The club won the 2018 USL Regular-Season Championship in record-setting fashion, and earned postseason berths in all three of its USL seasons. In 2017, FC Cincinnati also advanced to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup that included pair of victories over MLS squads. The team currently plays its home games at the historic Nippert Stadium on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, and has started construction on a soccer-specific stadium in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati that is expected to open in early 2021. | Follow the team on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube, or visit the club’s official website: fccincinnati.com.
ABOUT FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP
First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio based bank holding company. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had $13.8 billion in assets, $8.8 billion in loans, $9.8 billion in deposits and $2.0 billion in shareholders’ equity. The Company’s subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services products through its six lines of business: Commercial, Retail Banking, Investment Commercial Real Estate, Mortgage Banking, Commercial Finance and Wealth Management. These business units provide traditional banking services to business and retail clients. Wealth Management provides wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage and retirement plan services and had approximately $2.8 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2018. The Company’s primary operating markets are located in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky where it operated 159 banking centers as of September 30, 2018, while the Commercial Finance business lends into targeted industry verticals on a nationwide basis. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations is available at www.bankatfirst.com.
