Toyota Inks First Arena Title Sponsorship

Toyota last week signed a multiyear deal with the Houston Rockets to name the NBA team's new arena the Toyota Center.

The deal marks the first time Toyota has taken title sponsorship of an arena.

While Toyota will benefit locally from the sponsorship, the company was also attracted to the foreign exposure that Chinese basketball star and Rockets center Yao Ming offers.

"As a leader in the worldwide market, Toyota will also be able to enhance its brand awareness in Asia through the international exposure offered by the Houston Rockets," said Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Corporate Marketing Manager Deborah Wahl Meyer in a statement.