L&N Federal Credit Union has agreed a naming-rights deal for Cardinal Stadium, home of the University of Louisville’s American football team.
The stadium, which has a capacity of 60,800, will be known as the L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium, or simply L&N Stadium. The deal is worth $41m (£33.4m/€37.8m) and runs for 20 years, until 2042.
L&N is a long-standing partner of the university and was founded in 1954 to serve the L&N railroad workers in Louisville on the exact spot where Cardinal Stadium now sits. The company now has nearly $2bn in assets and serves over 109,000 people.
The original train horn from the site is still in use and is heard every time the Louisville Cardinals score a touchdown. Cardinal Stadium opened in 1998 and was renovated in 2010 and 2019.
Josh Heird, the university’s director of athletics, said: “We are extremely proud to announce this continued relationship with L&N Federal Credit Union, a very well-respected company. From the beginning of this process, we have been very strategic with how we chose our naming-rights gift.
“We wanted an entity that was aligned with our mission statement and invested in the community and the university. We’ve found that and more with the L&N Federal Credit Union and their leadership team. We are extremely grateful for their continued investment in our student-athletes and our athletic department and look forward to enhancing our partnership for years to come.”
Cardinal Stadium was previously sponsored by pizza restaurant chain Papa John’s until 2018. L&N also sponsors the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena, which is home to the university’s volleyball team.
