After 42 years, Bobcat Stadium is no longer the name of Texas State football’s home turf.
During a press conference on Tuesday, May 21, Texas State President Kelly Damphousse announced a partnership with University Federal Credit Union (UFCU), granting them immediate naming rights to Texas State’s football stadium.
“Texas State and University Federal Credit Union have signed a multi-tiered agreement that will rebrand [Texas State’s] football stadium as UFCU Stadium,” Damphousse said.
The historic partnership is a 15-year deal worth $23 million, making it the largest naming gift in Texas State’s history and the biggest stadium naming rights deal in the Sun Belt Conference.
“This agreement marks the largest corporate sponsorship in the Sun Belt Conference for naming rights for a football stadium and is one of the largest for a [college] football stadium in the state of Texas,” Damphousse said.
The field at UFCU stadium, which is named after former Southwest Texas State football head coach Jim Wacker, will remain the same.
This deal between Texas State and UFCU isn’t the first time they have done business together, as they have been collaborating for 11 years, according to Damphousse.
“Today’s announcement is just the beginning of our expanded relationship that will benefit our students, the university, and our larger community,” Damphousse said.
UFCU CEO Michael Crowl attended the press conference and is excited for all that comes with the agreement.
“Today really is the inception of something substantial, lasting and profoundly impactful,” Crowl said. “UFCU Stadium is more than a destination. It’s really a catalyst; it’s a powerful start for what we’re [going to] do together.”
According to Texas State University Director of Athletics Don Coryell, the agreement does more than give UFCU the naming rights to Texas State’s football stadium.
“UFCU is going to directly support our student-athletes through education programs and resources,” Coryell said. “This includes financial seminars, we’re gonna do workshops with our student athletes [and] training programs, all designed to assist with essential financial skills for them.”
Coryell announced there will be a comprehensive marketing campaign to promote the partnership.
UFCU Stadium is currently under construction, as renovations and a new end zone complex are underway. Additionally, Damphousse said the stadium will get new turf.
After the program’s first-ever bowl game victory and acquiring the reigning Sun Belt Player of the Year, Jordan McCloud, the deal with UFCU adds to the list of Texas State football’s new developments.
“I’m going to get a little emotional here, but I hear people say ‘the Bobcats are gonna Bobcat,'” Damphousse said. “There’s this whole idea that we’re always going to stumble somehow. Well, the Bobcats are Bobcatting now.”
