College athletic departments need money to survive. They need TV revenue, private donations and sponsorships. That's simply the reality of the business.
That doesn't mean fans must enjoy having corporate names plastered across gorgeous, history-filled football stadiums.
Though less than one-fifth of all FBS programs have sold their stadium's naming, it's becoming increasingly more difficult for schools to pass on naming rights' deals — especially if student-athlete stipends increase again.
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But what if schools could eliminate naming rights' deals? Here are new name suggestions for seven FBS stadiums that currently bear the name of corporate sponsors.
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Boise State
Current Name: Albertsons Stadium
New Name: Bronco Stadium
Albertsons Companies Inc., the grocery store chain with more than 2,000 stores nationwide, purchased the naming rights to Bronco Stadium in 2014. And while it's an appropriate sponsorship given the local roots of the company's founder and noted philanthropist Joe Albertson, most Boise State fans still call their home Bronco Stadium.
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Louisville
Current Name: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium
New Name: Cardinal Stadium
Louisville football was one of many tenants of the old Cardinal Stadium from 1957-2004. They left in 1998 when the new, current stadium opened, at which time Papa John's purchased the naming rights.
The company is based in nearby Jeffersontown and founder John Schnatter — who recently had a reported dust-up recently with the school over donations — also lives in the state.
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Houston
Current Name: John O'Quinn Field and TDECU Stadium
New Name: John O'Quinn Stadium
Houston's gorgeous 40,000-seat, three-year-old stadium features both the names of TDECU — the largest credit union in the city — and John O'Quinn — a prominent Houston lawyer who died in a car crash in 2009.
TDECU purchased the naming rights shortly before the stadium opened in 2014, paying a whopping $15 million over 10 years to have their name caked around the venue. They should take it off and roll with the well-respected, meaningful name of John O'Quinn Stadium instead.
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Minnesota
Current Name: TCF Bank Stadium
New Name: Bierman Stadium
The Gophers' athletics building already bears the name of former player and coach Bernie Bierman. Let's make it a daily double and put his name on the stadium too.
Bierman, a native of Litchfield, Minn., played at Minnesota from 1913-15 before serving as head coach from 1932-41 and 1945-50. He owns five of their seven national championships and seven of their 18 conference championships.
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Rutgers
Current Name: High Point Solutions Stadium
New Name: Rutgers Stadium
Rutgers football played in Rutgers Stadium for decades. That changed in 2010 when the school sold the naming rights of the recently renovated facility to High Point Solutions, a New Jersey-based health care and technology company.
It generated much-needed revenue for the school but it's never felt like a good fit.
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UCF
Current Name: Spectrum Stadium
New Name: The Bounce House
Previously known as Bright House Networks Stadium, UCF's home stadium was renamed Spectrum Stadium this year after Charter Communications acquired Bright House Networks in 2016.
The stadium has been informally called The Bounce House for years because of the way it shakes when the crowd jumps together. Make it official; remove the corporate sponsor and have one of the more unique stadium names in all of sports.
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Wake Forest
Current Name: BB&T Field
New Name: Groves Stadium
Wake Forest football's stadium history is fascinating. Their original stadium in Wake Forest, N.C., was financed by local businessmen Henry and Earl Groves. When the school moved to Winston-Salem in 1956, the Groves gave them more money for a new stadium.
It was renamed BB&T Field in 2007 when BB&T Corporation, a financial services company headquartered in Winston-Salem, bought the naming rights.
