New name for the new ‘JBA’? Why that’s looking pretty likely

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - With the old James Brown Arena gone, we’re learning its bigger and better replacement may not share the same name.

Leaders were pretty excited earlier this week to show off plans for the new arena.

It will tower 10 stories tall, hosting about 100 events a year from musical and family productions to hockey games. It will offer a variety of options, and visitors can take in local flavors with some concessions featuring Augustans’ favorite restaurants.

And in all likelihood, it won’t be called the James Brown Arena.

The naming rights for it are up for sale, revenue the Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority says it needs for future operations at the Augusta Entertainment Complex.

Apparently, ticket sales alone won’t fund the operations.

And even though the project has been commonly referred to as “the new James Brown Arena,” that wasn’t on the ballot when voters approved a sales tax to fund construction.

Here’s what the ballot said:

Money isn’t the only reason the legacy name could change.

The other reason is that James Brown’s family no longer owns the rights to his name, image and music.

They sold it off years ago to a company called Primary Wave.

We first told you about the sale of James Brown’s estate in 2021.

The bottom line is the Coliseum Authority doesn’t even have the authority to use James Brown’s name on the new arena.

The agency says it’s reached out to the company with a package so the arena could keep its legacy name, but so far, the company hasn’t responded.

The current market value will determine the price for the new name.

Regardless, the Coliseum Authority says the new arena will honor the Godfather of Soul in an even bigger way than the old arena. What will that look like? We don’t know yet.

We talked about it with Brad Usry, who serves on the board of the Coliseum Authority.

1. Liz Owens: No. 1 question: Why change the name?
2. Brad Usry: It’s standard practice in the industry to have a sponsor, a naming rights sponsor, and it’s all due to finances.
3. Liz: Were you aware when this went up for a vote that the name would be changed?
4. Brad: No, we were aware we were selling naming rights.
5. Liz: The voters voted to put their money towards the new arena, but we have to have the name changed to the new arena?
6. Brad: So you are talking about a bond to build it, but once you build it, you got operations. You’ve got a big building with a lot of overhead.
7. Liz: Does anybody have any power to do anything about it, like keeping the name?
8. Brad: You know James Brown’s likeness and name were sold to Primary Wave by the family, so we encourage you to call Primary Wave and tell them you want it to stay exactly the way it is. ... And Primary Wave, we have presented them a package to buy the naming rights.
9. Liz: And they declined it?
10. Brad: The management company is handling that, and I don’t think they have responded yet.

It turns out it’s a pretty complicated situation.

So, to retain the name would require permission from that company, The Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority says it’s reached out to that company, but hasn’t heard back.

Changing the legacy name isn’t sitting well with locals.

More than 1,200 people have already signed a petition on change.org to preserve the name of James Brown Arena.

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