Continental Airlines' name will soon come down from one of the New York City-area's most-prominent sporting venues. The arena –- within view of Manhattan in the New Jersey "Meadowlands" -– has been officially known as the Continental Airlines Arena for the past 12 years, but that’s about to change, The Associated Press reports. Continental spokesman Dave Messing says the airline will opt out of its naming rights deal for the arena, which is also a short distance from  Newark International Airport, where Continental operates a large hub.

As for Continental Airlines Arena, the facility is set to lose some of its luster in the coming years. The NBA's New Jersey Nets have plans to bolt to a new arena in Brooklyn while the NHL's New Jersey Devils will move to a new arena in downtown Newark. That will leave Continental Airlines Arena without a permanent major pro sports tenant. "The purpose of our sponsorship was to gain exposure to major league sports fans because they are also our target market," Messing tells The Star-Ledger of Newark. "With the absence of major league sports in the Arena, the sponsorship was no longer aligned with our marketing goals."

Continental had been paying $1.3 million a year for the naming rights and its name will stay on the arena until a new sponsor is found. The Star-Ledger writes that George Zoffinger, executive director of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, "said part of the $1.3 million from Continental had been in airline tickets. Some were used and some were not. Although Continental officials said they initiated the decision to drop the name from the arena, Zoffinger insisted the decision 'was mutual.' " Zoffinger says the "arrangement really wasn't working out for us."

Photo by Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

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