Sports
Pitbull purchases naming rights to FIU Panthers' football stadium
FIU football is going international. On Tuesday, the university announced it is naming its football field Pitbull Stadium.
The 43-year-old music star will pay the university $1.2 million per year for five years for the naming rights to the stadium, ESPN reported.
Pitbull will create an anthem for the school, post about FIU on social media 12 times a year, and appear at one athletics fundraising event per year, according to ESPN, citing the terms of the agreement.
Pitbull during his half-time performance during the WNBA All Star Game on July 20, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Tom O’Connor/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Miami native will also get to use the stadium 10 days per year throughout the term of the agreement. The vodka brand the singer owns will be the preferred brand distributed in the stadium.
Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Perez, will reportedly get two reserved suites for all home football games.
The stadium opened in 1995 and has a seating capacity of 20,000. It was known as FIU Community Stadium from 1995 to 2001. Ocean Bank was the first company to purchase FIU’s naming rights. From 2001 to 2017, it was known as Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
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Roary the Panther, mascot of the FIU Golden Panthers, leads members of the team on to the field prior to their game against the Arkansas State Red Wolves during the Camellia Bowl at the Crampton Bowl on Dec. 21, 2019, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Michael Chang/Getty Images)
From 2017 to 2022, it was known as Ricardo Silva Stadium. Over the last two years, it was known as FIU Stadium as the school was looking for a new sponsor.
In the deal, there reportedly is an option for Pitbull to renew the agreement for five more years.
The Panthers are coming off consecutive 4-8 seasons under head coach Mike MacIntrye and have not had a winning season since 2018.
Pitbull performs during the WNBA All Star Game on July 20, 2024, in Phoenix. (Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
The school started playing college football in 2002 and has been a part of the FBS since 2004.
FIU will host Central Michigan on Sept. 7 for the first game in Pitbull Stadium.
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