The Albany Times Union will not be extending its naming rights to Times Union Center, according to a statement Wednesday morning from the news organization.

According to the release, expanding subscriptions and markets for the digital news platform are behind the decision. 

“We’ve had a great run with our support of the Times Union Center, and I want to express our thanks to Albany County and ASM Global for a strong partnership and for their work to maintain an important regional sports and entertainment asset,” said Times Union Publisher and CEO George R. Hearst III. “We’re in the midst of an evolution at the Times Union that will deepen our impact across the Capital Region and Hudson Valley and expand our ability to report on the diverse communities we serve. With digital subscriptions growing and new hiring in our newsroom, we are shifting our focus to reaching new audiences in different ways and doubling down on our commitment to meet our region’s need for high-quality, trusted local journalism.”

The Times Union has had its name on the center since 2007. The current agreement was signed in 2016. 

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy commented on the decision, saying, "Albany County has had a long and trusted partnership with the Times Union newspaper and we can’t ignore the fact that the pandemic and the move to remote digital technology has changed the business model for many industries, including the County. Our arena is a premier sports and entertainment facility that attracts top notch talent as well as patrons from beyond the Capital Region. A request for proposal will be issued shortly for the naming rights contract. We thank George Hearst and the Times Union for their years of support and look forward to starting a new relationship with another partner.”

The news organization says it is looking to focus its branding more on other campaigns and partnerships with local TV channels, influencers, YouTube advertising and increased social media presence.

"With the naming rights coming due, it was good timing to evaluate our branding spend. The shifting environment for advertising and branding allows us to move quickly in promoting our brand throughout the Capital Region in other channels,” said Todd Peterson, the company's vice president of Consumer Revenue and Marketing.