Missouri football's Memorial Stadium to be renamed, seeks corporate sponsor

A new look was already in store for Mizzou’s home football stadium. As of Tuesday, a new name appears to be in the future, too.

Memorial Stadium likely will soon have a new name and sponsor, as the athletic department announced Tuesday afternoon that they will attempt to secure corporate naming rights to the ground, which is already undergoing a major renovation ahead in its 100th year as Missouri football’s home.

Mizzou, per a news release, has hired Intersect Partners to help procure a naming rights partner. Missouri deputy director of athletics Eric Morrison will lead the process in coordination with the sports property sales firm and Mizzou Sports Properties.

“This is another incredible opportunity to position Mizzou Athletics for the future,” Missouri athletic director Laird Veatch said in the release. “Memorial Stadium enters its second century as college athletics continues to evolve rapidly. Securing naming rights reflects our ‘Will to Win,’ which includes a commitment to investing aggressively in our ability to recruit, retain and compete to win championships, while also being thoughtful and intentional in honoring our past.”

This is the latest avenue the university has explored to raise funds in a changing collegiate landscape. Both Faurot Field and Norm Stewart Court have added on-field and on-court sponsorships in recent seasons.

Universities are now allowed to distribute $20.5 million of revenue directly to student-athletes under a revenue-sharing agreement stemming from the House vs. NCAA settlement last summer. That number will rise incrementally over time.

Mizzou athletics recently reported a $9.1 million deficit for the 2025 fiscal year, according to its annual report, which is known as the NCAA Membership Financial Reporting System (FRS), which meant it reduces its operating deficit by more than $6 million from fiscal year 2024.

Missouri set records for both revenue and, notably, expenses in fiscal year 2025. College sports have, quite simply, become more expensive, and selling naming rights to the stadium will add a significant stream of revenue.

When a naming rights partner is found, the university has announced it plans to remove ‘Memorial’ from the name of the stadium. 

In Tuesday’s release, Missouri said it is “actively planning new, meaningful opportunities to honor and preserve the historic origins and intent behind the Memorial designation” and will consult with various veterans groups, athletics stakeholders and university leadership to do so.

Memorial Stadium was originally opened in 1926 and has undergone multiple renovations and additions in the following century.

A $250-million renovation to the stadium’s north concourse is expected to be completed ahead of the 2026 season, which will add premium seating above Faurot Field’s north end zone. Construction has been ongoing since a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2024.

More: What will Missouri football’s stadium upgrade look like? Renderings of proposed $250M project

Mizzou will not be the first SEC team to explore corporate naming rights for its home stadium.

Vanderbilt sold its football stadium’s naming rights to FirstBank in 2022, and Kentucky’s home stadium is now called Kroger Field after partnering with the brand in 2017. Arkansas recently partnered with Learfield to secure new naming rights for its stadium.

Mizzou said it will share details on the naming rights as the process unfolds.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football seeking corporate naming rights for Memorial Stadium