FIU Stadium renamed after Miami-born rapper Pitbull

Florida International University football games will now play out in a stadium named after superstar Armando-Christian Pérez, also known as Pitbull.

The stadium, where FIU has played since 1995, stands in the city where Pitbull was born: Miami. Since 2017, the stadium had been named Riccardo Silva Stadium. Before that, it was called FIU Stadium.

The 20,000-person stadium will now be called “Pitbull Stadium” following a $6 million agreement with the university, which administrators and the rapper announced on Tuesday. Terms for the five-year agreement include $1.2 million from Pitbull each year and an option for him to renew for another five years for the same price tag.

“Armando’s financial support is program-changing, but him providing a microphone to amplify FIU will be even more beneficial to growing our brand,” said FIU Director of Athletics Scott Carr in a news release. “I couldn’t be more excited about our partnership, as this will take us to another level. We can now officially say: ‘Paws Up, Dale!’”

“Dale,” a Spanish phrase favored by the rapper and singer, translates to “give it” or “go ahead” in English. Paws up is a phrase used to convey school spirit for the university, which uses a panther as its mascot.

Placing Pitbull’s name on the stadium creates “multi-faceted marketing and promotional opportunities,” according to FIU.

“This is a historic day for FIU Athletics to uniquely partner with a world-renowned artist and amazing person who truly values relationships and his community,” Carr said.

Pittbull, also known as Mr. Worldwide, appeared during the announcement.

“Renaming the stadium isn’t just about a name change,” Pitbull said. “It’s about inspiring the community, creating opportunities and showing the world that with determination and a clear vision, anything is possible. We’re making history together, and we’re just getting started. Why dream when you can live it?”

The agreement, approved by the FIU Board of Trustees Tuesday just before the announcement, titles Pitbull as the “Official Entrepreneur of FIU Athletics,” gives him free use of the stadium for 10 days per year, VIP suite reservations at all home games for the artist, and permission for “Pitbull-affiliated performer to perform at halftime or postgame of a home game.”

The deal solidifies the artist’s Voli 305 Vodka as “a preferred brand distributed in the stadium and stadium club.”

“You can call it partnership, you can call it relationship, you can call it friendship — use whatever you want, just don’t call it a sponsorship, don’t call it a stadium-naming rights sponsorship, because that’s not what it is,” Carr said during the announcement.

Pitbull is obligated to promote FIU under the agreement, which suggests creating an “FIU anthem,” appearing in social media posts, and appearing at an athletics fundraising event each year.

Carr said that, outside the stadium agreement, Pitbull has expressed interest in helping with name, image, and likeness deals with athletes.