Arizona Athletics has found a way to play the modern college-sports game with a little more flexibility than most. Its sponsorship arm is giving the school a competitive edge, and a private one, too.
That matters because the money and naming-rights side of athletics is no longer just background noise. It is part of how schools position themselves, protect key assets and keep up in a landscape where everyone is looking for an advantage.
One example came during a formal announcement to add Alkeme’s name to McKale Center. Curtis Barton, the insurance company’s CEO and a UA graduate, said keeping McKale Center in the name was “super important.” That kind of comment tells you plenty: even when the branding changes, the old identity still has pull.
Arizona’s setup gives it room to work the sponsorship side without putting every detail in the public square. In college athletics, that is not exactly a shocking development. It is, however, the sort of thing schools do when they want to compete like a big operation and explain as little as possible.
Bill Farr
