LOGAN, Utah -- Utah State University and Maverik Inc., owner of convenience stores throughout the Intermountain West, have announced a long-term naming rights partnership to its football stadium, which is currently known as Romney Stadium. Effective immediately, Utah State's football venue will be known as Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
The partnership with Logan-based Utah State and Maverik is a multi-year agreement, which includes top-tier advertising rights and prominent signage on the exterior and interior of the stadium. Additionally, the venue will feature a Maverik concession outlet that will sell a number of Maverik proprietary food products.
"The entire Maverik team is honored to continue our partnership with Utah State University and link our name to its iconic stadium," said Tom Welch, CEO of Maverik, Inc. "As a community-centered business, we are committed to supporting and promoting our state's universities' athletic programs, and this opportunity with USU was our way to connect with the Aggies' student body, alumni and Cache Valley as a whole. The new Maverik Stadium will proudly uphold the venue's outstanding reputation in the Intermountain West."
"The Maverik brand, their values and vision for growth in the Mountain West region is an ideal fit for Utah State University," said USU vice president and director of athletics Scott Barnes. "This new partnership is a catalyst for our stadium renovation initiative, which will commence immediately with the demolition of the west side press box and a portion of the west side seating. Further, this partnership assists in ensuring the already promising future of our football program and the enhanced fan experience. On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches and the entire Aggie Nation, I want to thank Tom Welch and Maverik for this exciting opportunity."
"Utah State's partnership with Maverik is mutually beneficial and makes good business sense," said Jed Pitcher, retired president of The Regence Group and chair of the Stadium Expansion Strategic Planning Committee. "Maverik is known for its community involvement and encourages its employees to reach out in the areas where they serve. This is a great day to be an Aggie."
Renovations to Maverik Stadium will focus on greatly improving the overall fan experience. On the west side, a new four-story premium seating and press box structure will be built to include a media and game operations area, 24 luxury suites, 20 loge boxes, more than 700 covered club seats and a premium club area that will also be used to host a student-athlete training table. Major concourse work will include significantly increased restrooms, upgraded concessions and an enlarged concourse for better pedestrian traffic flow.
Renovations will also include new video boards on both the north and south ends of the stadium, along with a new public address system.
Romney Stadium was built in 1968 and officially dedicated Sept. 27, 1969. Romney Stadium is named after Utah State football and basketball coach and athletics director, E. Lowell 'Dick' Romney, who spent 29 seasons as the Aggies' athletics director and head football coach from 1919-48.
Utah State's football stadium has largely gone without upgrades to the existing structure during its 47-year existence. The seating capacity has been altered twice--once in 1980 with the addition of approximately 10,000 seats to the south bowl, and again in 1997 when about 4,000 chair-back seats were installed to bring the present capacity to 25,513. In 2005, the south end zone area was renovated, providing improved concessions and restroom facilities, as well as a widened concourse on the east side of the stadium. And in 2008, the three-story, 69,000-square foot Jim and Carol Laub Athletics-Academics Complex was completed in the north end zone, providing enhanced athletic and academic needs for all 16 of USU's varsity sports.
In 2010, Maverik put its moniker on the former E Center sports and event venue in West Valley City, Utah, renaming it Maverik Center.
North Salt Lake, Utah-based Maverik has more than 250 convenience stores across 10 western states.
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