The University of Arizona has announced a $60m stadium naming-rights agreement with a local casino. The 20-year agreement will see the arena renamed the Casino Del Sol Stadium going forward. The size of the contract is reportedly one of the biggest in the history of the Big 12 Conference.
significant increase in the cost of running a college athletic department
Speaking to Sports Business Journal, Arizona’s Athletic Director Desiree Reed-Francis explained that the university sought a naming-rights partner due to the significant increase in the cost of running a college athletic department. She said that there’s a need to “be aggressive in securing new revenue streams.”
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe-owned Casino Del Sol is a luxury casino resort in about a 15-minute drive from downtown Tucson and the university stadium. Casino Del Sol Chief Executive Amanda Samson Lomayesva is looking forward to “celebrating community, culture, and the Wildcat spirit that unites Southern Arizona.”
The first game under the new stadium name will be the college football season finale on Saturday against the Baylor Bears.
