The Northwest’s largest stadium has a new name and a new sponsor.
The University of Washington announced today that it inked a 10-year, $41 million deal with Alaska Airlines for the naming rights to Husky Stadium.
Husky Stadium will now be known as “Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium.” There will also be a new “University of Washington Athletic Village presented by Alaska Airlines” that includes athletic facilities around the stadium itself.
The Seattle Times first reported the deal, which the largest of its kind in college sports. It’s also the largest financial sponsorship for Alaska Airlines.
Alaska Airlines already signed a 5-year deal in 2011 for the naming rights to the UW’s basketball facility at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, and that will continue as part of the new deal.
More than half of the $41 million will go toward the UW’s student-athlete scholarships and welfare. Alaska Airlines is also the official airline of all three UW campuses as part of the deal. The company has had a presence on campus for nearly a decade, partnering with the university on other events like the Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge at the Foster School of Business earlier this year.
“We’re proud to expand our relationship with our hometown airline through an agreement that will benefit students on and off the field,” UW interim president Ana Mari Cauce said in a statement. “We have an active, engaged community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and fans, and it’s their energy and passion for our university that made this expanded partnership possible.”
