Nats, Astros strike naming rights deal for spring ballpark

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals' spring training stadium, barely a year old, is already getting a new name.

The Nationals and Astros are planning to announce next week a naming rights deal for The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches with FITTEAM, a local "healthy lifestyle company," sources familiar with the decision confirmed.

The new name for the stadium: FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

The announcement of a reported 12-year deal between FITTEAM and both franchises that share the 160-acre complex will come Wednesday. The Nationals and Astros open Grapefruit League play Friday in the first of seven head-to-head matchups this spring at the 6,500-seat facility.

This will become the latest spring training ballpark to secure a naming rights deal. The Cardinals and Marlins play at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in nearby Jupiter. The Mets play at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie. The Tigers recently renamed the remodeled, historic Joker Marchant Stadium as Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Though they were able to finalize this deal for their spring training complex, the Nationals have not yet worked out a naming rights deal for their regular season home back in D.C. There has been a longstanding effort to secure a rights deal for Nationals Park, which opened in 2008, but club officials have insisted all along any rights deal would have to involve more than a simple name change but an all-encompassing partnership with the organization.

The Washington Post was first to report the new rights deal between the Nationals, Astros and FITTEAM.