Venue News: MetLife Secures Naming Rights to New Meadowlands Stadium

MetLife has inked a definitive agreement to purchase naming rights to the home of the NFL Giants and Jets and the planned site of the Super Bowl in 2014, according to sources. The one-year old, $1.6 billion venue will be called MetLife Stadium. The deal, which could range as high as $20 million year for 20 years, could be announced as early as next week, with reps from MetLife and both teams and a number of star players in attendance. Although exact details of the deal could not be learned, MetLife bought one of four smaller rights deals, called cornerstone partnerships, three years ago for $7 million a year…

…The Rose Bowl champion TCU football team is just over a month away from its first home game at Amon G. Carter Stadium, and construction crews continue at a brisk pace to ready the 81-year-old stadium for the 2012 season opener. While the progress on the $143 million renovations is noticeable, with the west-side upper deck erected and lighting rigs nearly complete, there is major work left to do before the 2011 season starts. Seats on the west-side club level need to be installed and the two new scoreboards have yet to materialize. Crews have been installing large speakers on either side of the frame for the scoreboard atop the party deck on the north end zone. The north end zone stands, which include bleacher seating, will be nearly complete, including completed restrooms, except for fully functioning concessions…

… James Madison University has completed a $62.5 million renovation to Bridgeforth Stadium that gives the Dukes a home field resembling that of a top college football program. The renovated stadium is now the largest in the Colonial Athletic Association.  Capacity has increased from about 15,700 to 25,000, with stands that rise 135 ft. and 17 luxury boxes between the top section and lower tier. JMU has also added a new video scoreboard that measures 60 ft. by 24 ft…

…Arkansas’ athletic department has raised $28.4 million to help build a new football center and practice facility, aided by a $10 million grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. The football center will feature a new locker room, a lounge and study area, coaches’ offices, a museum dedicated to Razorback football, and a recruiting reception area. The center will be south of Razorback Stadium. The football center will cost $28 million, and the practice facility will cost $7 million.