Progressive Auto Sales Arena Name to Remain Through the 2030-31 Season as Sting, City of Sarnia, and Progressive Auto Group Renew Naming Rights Agreement
OHL Sarnia Sting

Progressive Auto Sales Arena Name to Remain Through the 2030-31 Season as Sting, City of Sarnia, and Progressive Auto Group Renew Naming Rights Agreement

Published on March 3, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Sarnia Sting News Release


SARNIA, ON - The Sarnia Sting Hockey Club, in partnership with the City of Sarnia, are proud to announce a five-year renewal of the arena naming rights agreement with Progressive Auto Group, ensuring the home of Sarnia Sting OHL Hockey and a major hub for local community programming will continue to be known as Progressive Auto Sales Arena through the 2030-31 season. The renewed agreement begins following the conclusion of the current term on August 7, 2026.

To mark the renewal, Sarnia Sting owners Ryan Finch, Mark Guy, and David Legwand, Progressive Auto Group owners Dan and John Whitton, and City of Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley gathered at Progressive Auto Sales Arena to celebrate a partnership rooted in community, connection, and long-term investment in one of Sarnia's most heavily used public facilities.

"Progressive Auto Sales Arena is where our community comes together, whether it's Sarnia Sting hockey, minor hockey, or recreation all year long," said Mayor Mike Bradley. "This renewed agreement is good for Sarnia. It builds on a strong local partnership with Progressive Auto Sales and helps support one of our city's most important community facilities for the long term."

Under the renewed agreement, the naming rights sponsorship fee will increase to $150,000 annually, with a 1.5% inflation escalator in years three through five. These dollars help support the ongoing operational and capital needs of the building, keeping the arena strong for the thousands of residents and visitors who walk through its doors each year.

"We want to thank Dan and John Whitton for their continued support of Sting hockey and for the way they show up for Sarnia-Lambton," said Sting President and Governor Mark Guy. "Progressive is a local partner who believes in this community, and this investment helps us keep building a better experience for our fans, our players, and every group that calls this arena home."

Progressive Auto Sales Arena is a City of Sarnia owned, multi-purpose facility located on the Lambton College campus. Opened in 1998, it seats 4,118 for hockey (more than 5,000 with standing room) and features two NHL-sized ice pads, 43 luxury suites, and an in-house restaurant overlooking the rinks. The facility is open daily, year-round, supporting a wide range of ice and community programming well beyond Sting game nights.

The renewed naming rights agreement arrives at an important time for the venue, as the City and the Hockey Club continue to plan and invest in major lifecycle improvements and fan-facing upgrades. Recent and upcoming projects include a refrigeration plant replacement, along with a Sting-led vision to elevate the food and beverage experience through $1.7 million in planned upgrades, including modernizing end-of-life kitchen equipment, renovating the restaurant, and reopening the community use concession stand the facilities lower lobby.

"On behalf of everyone at Progressive Auto Group, we're proud to extend our naming rights partnership and keep Progressive Auto Sales Arena as the home of Sting hockey for another five years," said Dan Whitton, Owner and President of Progressive Auto Group. "As a local business, supporting Sarnia and the people who fill this building matters a lot to us, from minor hockey and recreation to the big nights on the Sting schedule. We're grateful to the City of Sarnia and the Sarnia Sting for the continued partnership, and we're excited to keep investing in a facility that brings our community together."

Progressive Auto Sales originally secured the facility's naming rights through an agreement with the City of Sarnia and the Sarnia Sting in 2016, establishing the arena name that fans and community groups know today. This new five-year renewal continues that legacy, with a clear focus on keeping the arena a place where Sarnia gathers, celebrates, and creates memories year after year.

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