The University of Northern Iowa is seeking a sponsor for the first time to buy the naming rights to the UNI-Dome, but it could be awhile before the deal is closed.
Panther Sports Properties General Manager Mike Murray says they are looking at all options. “We’re very early on in the process as we’re starting to look for that next partner. So we’re taking an all hands on deck approach and really looking at anybody who has an interest,” he says. Murray says it’s become more common for stadiums naming rights to be sold as universities look for more income. He says there is a lot of potential.
“I think we’re open to just about everything. I mean, I’m sure there’s going to be some boundaries that we might bump into,” Murray says. “Obviously, we want to make sure that we stay on brand with who UNI is. So I think there might be a couple of categories that might not be aligned with the university.”
He says they are in the exploration phase right now and they’ll know more about what company or entity might he interested as they move along. Murray says the UNI-Dome has become a facility that is recognized for many things beyond Panther sports. “For a brand that wants to invest in a naming rights opportunity for a facility like the UNI-Dome, it’s more than just a Cedar Falls community facility. It is a statewide facility,” he says. “When we handle the Iowa High School Athletic Association postseason football tournament, we have the NWCA wrestling tournament, we have volleyball camps that set up shop in here. And we just have so many different uses for everybody in the state of Iowa that it is really more than just a local landmark. It is a state landmark.”
The NCAA has approved teams selling uniform patches on jerseys, and Murray says that’s something UNI is also looking at. “Yeah, we’re going to go kind of as the NCAA goes as they allow different opportunities to be sponsorable. We’re going to, of course, jump in line with them and make sure that we’re following suit,” Murray says.
Murray says there are several steps in the timeline and he expects it to take several months to get through before a sponsorship is awarded.