Rapper and singer Pitbull has reached a deal to purchase the naming rights to Florida International University's football stadium. The Grammy award winner and entrepreneur -- real name Armando Christian Perez -- has signed a five-year contract with the venue to rename its stadium Pitbull Stadium. The arena is currently known as FIU Stadium and is the home of the FIU Panthers.
Pitbull will pay the school $1.2 million per year over the next five years for the naming rights, and will have an option in August 2029 to extend the deal for another five years and continue the rebranding. "For me, what it boils down to is, Miami is always known for being underdogs, no matter what we do and what level we take it to," Pitbull said .
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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. "So 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.
" "Yes, we're going to create history at Pitbull Stadium," he added during a news conference in Miami. "This is not just an announcement. It's a movement.
It's really a historic event." This is a wholly unprecedented deal as Pitbull is the first musician to have a stadium named after him in college sports history. As part of the deal, Pitbull will reportedly create an anthem for FIU, post about the school on social media 12 times a year and appear at one athletics fundraising event per year throughout the term of the agreement.
The 43-year-old will also have access to the 20,000-seat stadium for 10 days a year, and his vodka company will be the 'preferred' distributor of the liquor served at the venue. He'll also receive a pair of luxury boxes for every home game and will participate in FIU's naming, image and likeness (NIL) efforts, according to athletic director Scott Carr. "This is a historic day for FIU athletics to partner in a unique way with a world-renowned artist and an incredible person who truly values relationships and his community," Carr said .
"Armando's financial support is a game changer, but having him provide a microphone to amplify FIU will be even more beneficial to the growth of our brand." Perez is known as "Mr. 305" -- a nod to Miami's area code -- and has close connections to region having attended Miami Coral Park High School.
He is also a longtime proponent of supporting education in South Florida. He founded the first SLAM! (Sports Leadership, Arts, and Management) tuition-free public charter school in Miami in 2012. "This partnership with @FIU is a true honor and a testament to what we can achieve when we work hard, Pitbull posted on X.
"With determination and a clear vision, anything is possible. We’re making history together, and we’re just getting started. Daleeee @FIUAthletics @FIUFootball.
" The Panthers, meanwhile, will be hoping for a fresh start in Pitbull Stadium, which will officially go into effect this coming season. They have gone 4-8 over the past two campaigns under head coach Mike MacIntyre and haven't had a winning season since 2018. The first game in Pitbull Stadium will be on September 7 when FIU host Central Michigan in its home opener.
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