Welcome to Pitbull Stadium, home of the FIU Panthers.
That’s what football fans in South Florida will be hearing this fall and many more years to come after FIU agreed to a naming rights deal with rapper Pitbull.
No, this isn’t like the Arizona Bowl, which is just labeled as “presented by Snoop Dogg.” FIU’s stadium will actually take the name “Pitbull Stadium,” giving a downtrodden Group of 5 program a name recognition boost, at the very least.
FIU is just 9-32 over the past four seasons, though former Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre took a program that went 1-16 between 2020 and 2021 and has gotten eight wins out of the group in his first two years on the job. Formerly coached by now-Miami coach Mario Cristobal, the Panthers have just four winning seasons in 20 years as an FBS program.
Here’s what you need to know about FIU’s aggressive naming rights deal with Pitbull.
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Pitbull stadium naming rights, explained
FIU approved a five-year, $6.2 million naming rights deal between the university and musician Pitbull on Tuesday, paving the way for the school’s football stadium — formerly named FIU Stadium — to be renamed “Pitbull Stadium.”
FIU is going worldwide 🌎
Welcome to @Pitbull Stadium pic.twitter.com/icZPBYSqja
— FIU Athletics (@FIUAthletics) August 6, 2024
“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 in a statement, calling the deal “groundbreaking.”
“You’re going to see that every university is going to want to do the same thing,” Pitbull said.
The rapper is correct that FIU is considered an underdog. The Panthers have a long history of losing, and teams outside the Power-Four conferences are at an even greater disadvantage in the NIL area. The changes to the college football landscape have forced Group of 5 programs to find creative ways to stand out. In some cases, that means finding new sources of revenue.
In the ever-evolving world of college football, money matters more than ever. In this case, Pitbull has the money. FIU’s deal with Pitbull not only brings in some additional revenue, but it gains the program some notoriety thanks to the name plastered on the stadium.
Given Pitbull is from Miami-Dade County and has made his love for Miami a central theme of his music throughout his career, the fit is just about perfect for “Mr. 305.”
Where is FIU located?
FIU is located in University Park, Fla. in Miami-Dade County. The Panthers’ campus is about 13 miles from downtown Miami.
Aside from the University of Miami, FIU is about as close to Miami as a major university can be. Pitbull never shies away from his love for the Miami area, and his ties to the region are even stronger now that FIU’s football stadium is named after him.
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Did Pitbull go to FIU?
Pitbull was born and raised in the Miami area, but he didn’t attend college. ‘Mr. 305’ had a tough upbringing, with both himself and his parents battling substance abuse issues at times, and he chose to focus on his music career after his time at Miami Coral Park High School.
Music ended up putting Pitbull on the right path, as he’s more than two decades into a massively successful international career that has made him one of the most recognizable artists in America.
Pitbull’s close ties to the Miami area, which are very well represented in his music, make it no surprise he’s willing to pour his money into a struggling Miami-based football program. Now, his name will be synonymous with FIU football for at least five years.
