Miami-born recording artist Armando Pérez, better known as Pitbull, has signed a five-year deal with Florida International University to rename its football stadium on Tuesday.
Christened as “Pitbull Stadium,” it is the first college athletic stadium named after a musician. Pérez will pay $1.2 million per year to keep the naming rights and has the option to renew the agreement for five additional years.
“Being underdogs is what I always felt about FIU — fighting, clawing their way to just be seen, to be recognized whether it be from education, business, through sports,” said Pitbull in an FIU press release. “When this idea came about, it came about just like a Miami-Dade County, 305 idea would come about — nobody would believe in it. All we had to do was, just like we say in Miami, take it to the house.”
Pitbull will also create an anthem for FIU Athletics, post on social media about FIU 12 times a year and appear at one fundraising event. In return, he will get to use the stadium up to 10 days a year, along with two suites for all football games.
“This is a historic day for FIU Athletics to uniquely partner with a world-renowned artist and amazing person who truly values relationships and his community,” said FIU athletic director Scott Carr. “Armando’s financial support is program-changing, but him providing a microphone to amplify FIU will be even more beneficial to growing our brand. I couldn’t be more excited about our partnership as this will take us to another level.”
