OT: So long to provincialism and the good ole days...
Williams Arena is approaching its 100th birthday, but the historic Gophers basketball venue could be getting a new name.
The Gophers announced Thursday that they are working with Independent Sports & Entertainment (ISE) to secure potential naming rights for the building that’s been known as Williams Arena for 75 years.
As the home of Gophers men’s and women’s basketball, it’s also affectionately known as “the Barn.” But with college sports going through major change, funneling money to athletes through name, image and likeness (NIL) payments, athletic departments everywhere are looking for ways to raise money.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for a company to align themselves with the University of Minnesota and with Gopher Athletics,” U athletic director Mark Coyle said in the news release. “We look forward to working with ISE to find a naming rights partner that will help us continue to provide world-class experiences for our student-athletes.”
When the Barn opened in 1928, it was originally called the University of Minnesota Field House. It was renamed Williams Arena in 1950 to honor former Gophers football coach Dr. Henry Williams. He’s a college football Hall of Famer, but as the athletic department has noted, he didn’t have a connection with Gophers basketball.
The university hired a company two years ago to evaluate Williams Arena for possible renovation. But the landscape has already changed drastically with NIL payments for players and an expected ruling this spring that will allow schools to pay athletes about $20.5 million each year in revenue sharing.
Those rapid changes caused the Gophers to table Williams renovation discussions. Instead, they are looking into creative ways to generate more money to help in recruiting.
Startribune
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Yah, they sure did...
Williams Arena might be one of the last olde vestiges out there
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
honestly with NIL and the transfer portal... i am ready for the NCAA and college sports to die. just make a semi pro league or whatever and put basketball, and football into it and be done. I havent heard much for hockey and these issues, but may as well tee that one up as well. any sport that sees the infestation of NIL and the portal can go away as well. This will likely kill other sports also since the colleges can no longer say they are funded through the spectator sports.
lets put the student back into the "student athlete" and return the nostalgia to the college ranks, the rest of those that are just there for the paycheck and springboard to the next level can take the harder road that baseball and some hockey players have been doing for decades.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
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