Arizona announced a 15-year, $27.7 million naming rights deal with ALKEME Insurance for McKale Center on Friday. It will now be known as McKale Center at ALKEME Arena. The deal is the largest publicly known arena naming rights partnership in the Big 12, per Arizona Athletics.
The majority of basketball arenas in the Big XII are named for a corporate sponsorship or a major donor. Arizona announced a 20-year, $60 million naming rights deal to change the name to Casino Del Sol Stadium that began immediately.
McKale Center opened in 1973 at a cost of $8,145,077. That would be $61,752,974.00 when adjusted for inflation. McKale Center is named for J.F. “Pop” McKale, arguably the most important person in the history of Arizona Athletics. He once oversaw the Arizona football, baseball, basketball, tennis and track and field teams…