At the so-called greatest setting in college football, first the home-field advantage disappeared this season with multiple losses piling up for the local team at the University of Washington’s iconic stadium.
Now the name will change from Husky Stadium to Columbia Bank Stadium for at least 10 years, beginning in 2027, in what has been reported to be a $70 million deal — believed to be the richest corporate sponsorship of its kind. On Thursday, the school’s board of regents approved the agreement.
With the college game taken over by an arms race that involves paying players great sums of money and the UW in a continual hunt to locate financial resources, this sort of move was inevitable and not going to face much opposition.
“This is a historic long-term partnership for Washington Athletics and the University of Washington,” athletic director Pat Chun said in a news release. “Columbia Bank Stadium will be the most visible expression of the relationship, but the greater opportunity is what we can build together for our student-athletes, students and communities across Washington…