It will always be McKale Center, just now with a kicker.
Arizona Athletics has announced it has sold naming rights to its iconic venue, signing a 15-year, $27.7 million deal with ALKEME Insurance. The new name will be McKale Center at ALKEME Arena. Per a news release, the deal is the “largest publicly known rena naming rights partnership in the Big 12.
ALKEME is an insurance brokerage firm founded in 2020 by UA alumni. As part of the deal, Arizona and ALKEME will partner to “collaborate with the university’s Eller College of Management to develop entrepreneurship and leadership programming that gives students and student-athletes real-world exposure to business operations and strategy.
“In the modern era of college athletics, competition at the highest level requires sustained investment and strong partnerships,” UA athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said in a news release. “This naming rights agreement with ALKEME provides critical resources that allow Arizona Athletics to continue our momentum and position our programs for long-term competitive success. ALKEME leadership’s commitment to education and giving back as Arizona graduates reflects a shared belief in excellence—on the field, in the classroom, and beyond.”
The naming rights deal for McKale Center is the second secured by Reed-Francois in the past few months. In November she announced a 20-year, $60 million deal with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to rename the football stadium Casino del Sol Stadium.
The first competitions at the newly named McKale Center at ALKEME Arena are Saturday, when the UA women’s basketball team hosts ASU and the top-ranked men’s squad host No. 16 Texas Tech. ESPN’s College GameDay will be doing its pregame show from the arena floor that morning.
