Naming Rights on College Stadiums and Arenas
Last Updated on June 5, 2014
For awhile now I’ve been compiling data on universities that sell the naming rights to their facilities. Today, Rutgers announced a new deal worth $6.5 million over the next 10 years for the naming rights to its football stadium. I’ll give you the complete list of stadiums and arenas with naming rights deals (in no certain order) are below. The amount listed is the total amount for the deal (not a per year breakdown).
Arizona State University | Wells Fargo Arena | Basketball (M/W), Volleyball, Wrestling, Gymnastics | N/A | $5 Million |
Boise State University | Taco Bell Arena | Basketball (M/W) | 15 Years | $4 Million |
College of Charleston | Carolina First Arena | Basketball (M/W), Volleyball | N/A | $2 Million |
University of Colorado | Coors Events Center | Basketball (M/W) | N/A | $5 Million |
Florida International University | U.S. Century Bank Arena | Basketball (M/W), Volleyball | N/A | N/AN/A |
Fresno State University | SaveMart Center at Fresno State | Basketball (M/W) | N/A | $40 Million* |
Quinnipiac University | TD Bank Sports Center | Basketball (M/W), Hockey | N/A | N/A |
San Diego State University | Viejas Arena | Basketball (M/W) | 10 Years | $6.9 Million |
Syracuse University | Carrier Dome | Football, Basketball (M/W), Lacrosse | Perpetuity | $2.75 Million |
Texas Tech University | Jones AT&T Stadium | Football | 25 Years | $20 Million |
The Ohio State University | Value City Arena | Basketball (M/W), Hockey | N/A | $12.5 Million |
Troy University | Movie Gallery Stadium | Football | 20 Years | $5 Million |
University of Akron | InfoCision Stadium Summa Field | Football | 20 Years | $10 Million |
University of Albany | SEFCU Arena | Basketball (M/W), Others | 10 Years | $2.75 Million |
University of Central Florida | Bright House Networks Stadium | Football | 15 Years | $15 Million |
University of Cincinnati | Fifth Third Arena | Basketball (M/W), Volleyball | N/A | N/A |
University of Louisville | KFC Yum Center | Basketball (M) | 10 Years | $13.5 Million |
University of Louisville | Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium | Football | N/A | $5 Million** |
Univesity of Maryland | Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium | Football | 25 Years | $20 Million |
University of Maryland | Comcast Center (Main and Pavilion) | Basketball (M/W), Volleyball, Wrestling, Gymnastics | 25 Years | $20 Million*** |
University of Miami | Bank United Center at the University of Miami | Basketball (M/W) | 10 Years | N/A |
University of Minnesota | TCF Bank Stadium | Football | 25 Years | $35 Million |
University of Nevada Las Vegas | Cox Pavilion | Basketball (W) | N/A | $5 Million |
University of South Carolina | Colonial Life Arena | Basketball (M/W) | 12 Years | $5.5 Million |
University of Texas | UFCU Disch-Falk Field | Baseball | 15 Years | $13.1 Million |
University of Virginia | Klockner Stadium | Soccer (M/W), Lacrosse (M/W) | N/A | $1.2 Million |
University of Washington | Alaska Airline Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavillion | Basketball (M/W), Gymnastics, Volleyball | 5 Years | $3.5 Million |
Wake Forest | BB&T Field | Football | 10 Years | N/A |
Winona State University | Verizon Wireless Stadium at Maxwell Field | Football | 10 Years | $250,000 |
Xavier University | Cintas Center at Xavier University | Basketball (M/W) | N/A | N/A |
Rutgers University | High Point Solutions | Football | 10 Years | $6.5 Million |
*Pepsi is said to have paid a similar sum for exclusive pouring rights at the facility and across campus.
**The amount listed was for the initial deal between Louisville and Papa John’s. Louisville’s athletic department tells me that in total Papa John’s has donated approximately $22 million for the football stadium, including for recent expansion. Papa John’s now holds the naming rights through 2040.
***Comcast paid an additional $5 million for naming rights to the court.
My favorite story regarding naming rights comes from Louisville and is just another reason why I think Tom Jurich is so brilliant. The naming rights to the basketball arena were sold to Yum! Brands, which owns Pizza Hut. Guess what kind of pizza they sell in the concession stands inside the KFC Yum Center…Papa John’s! Jurich told me he needed to sell the naming rights, but he also needed to honor his partnership with Papa John’s, who holds the naming rights to the football stadium and is a long-time partner of the school. I’m not sure how Jurich got the deal done, but it’s a tribute to his business acumen. Could you imagine Coca-Cola paying to have their name on a facility and then allowing Pepsi to be sold inside?
If you’re able to fill in any of the holes above or know about deals I missed, please email me.
Thanks to my research assistant Andy Haugen for helping compile the data.
Lou Pickney
June 22, 2011The stadium sponsor for Troy’s stadium is odd considering that Movie Gallery went out of business last year. Surely Movie Gallery didn’t pay the full $5 million sponsorship cost up front, did they?
Bob Markey
February 19, 2013Movie Gallery paid Troy for approximately 7 years (I assume $250 per year). Troy’s deal (2003) was reportedly one of the first for naming rights to a college football stadium. Troy removed the company’s name and renamed the stadium Veterans Memorial Stadium in 2010. The field was named for legendary and still head coach Larry Blakeney in 2011.
Allen Powell
August 13, 2011University of Arkansas – Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, $20M, don’t know how long. Reynolds was a media tycoon in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma (I believe). Go Mean Green!
Jeff Benn
October 2, 2012It isn’t ‘Colorado University’ but rather the University of Colorado
Bob Markey
February 19, 2013FAU Receives $6 Million Gift from The GEO Group to Name Football Stadium
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