Technology company Qualcomm has acquired naming rights to San Diego State University’s (SDSU’s) new stadium under a 15-year, $45m (£34m/€40m) deal that will serve to enhance the fan experience at the facility.
As announced yesterday (Monday), Aztec Stadium, the new home for the San Diego State American football program, will now be known as Snapdragon Stadium after Qualcomm’s premier mobile platform brand. The agreement will go to the California State University Board of Trustees for formal approval.
Qualcomm tech will help implement 5G within the 35,000-capacity stadium, which is on schedule to be completed by September 3, 2022 when the SDSU Aztec football team is scheduled to play the University of Arizona Wildcats in the season home opener.
“Snapdragon stands for premium experiences and leading-edge performance, which is what fans can expect from this new state-of-the-art venue,” said Cristiano Amon, president and CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated.
“This is just the first phase of an expansive relationship between Qualcomm Technologies and San Diego State University as we look to support their broad digital transformation that will include the Stadium, the upcoming Innovation District, and smart campus enhancements across their campuses. This agreement is the reflection of our mutual dedication to our local San Diego community.”
In August 2020, SDSU held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Aztec Stadium, a project that was deemed the Californian city’s most significant sports and entertainment venue since the opening of Petco Park in 2004.
The ceremony was designed to mark the university officially assuming ownership of the Mission Valley stadium site. Anchored by Aztec Stadium, SDSU Mission Valley is a $3.5bn multi-purpose development that aims to benefit the local community for generations to come.
In June 2020, San Diego City Council approved the purchase and sale agreement for SDSU Mission Valley, placing San Diego State University on track to break ground on the site within a two-month period. The deal to sell 135 acres of Mission Valley land to SDSU for more than $88m represented the last major hurdle in what was claimed to be one of the biggest and most complex real estate transactions in city history.
Commenting on the naming rights deal, SDSU athletic director JD Wicker said: “Partnering with Qualcomm on Snapdragon Stadium continues our push for creating a world class stadium experience for the entire San Diego community.
“Our growing relationship will allow us to leverage the best-in-class technological advances of Qualcomm to create superior fan experiences no matter the event. This is another example related to the SDSU Mission Valley development of community investing in community.”
SDSU Athletics was represented by JMI Sports and Legends, which sourced and helped negotiate the agreement.
Image: SDSU
