Columbia Bank Stadium Deal Pending Board of Regents Approval

Columbia Bank will become the new namesake of Washington football’s home stadium starting in 2027, according to a record-breaking agreement.

The Tacoma-based institution has signed a 10-year, $70 million deal to secure the naming rights for the venue, Sports Business Journal reported. Pending approval from the Board of Regents, the facility currently known as Husky Stadium will officially transition to Columbia Bank Stadium.

This partnership represents the largest football stadium naming rights deal in the history of college sports. The agreement sets the annual rate at $7 million, raising the valuation of collegiate athletic real estate.

The deal also establishes Columbia Bank as a signature partner of the university. This move follows a trend of regional institutions seeking deep integration with major Pacific Northwest athletic brands to drive brand recognition and community presence.

The new agreement is part of a larger financial windfall for the university’s athletic programs. Over the next decade, the Huskies are expected to earn nearly $100 million through a combination of stadium and arena naming rights.

Aerial view of husky stadium officially alaska airlines field at husky stadium for sponsorship purposes is an outdoor footbal

This total includes a separate agreement made in March, when the school re-upped with Alaska Airlines for basketball arena naming rights. That specific contract is a 10-year, $28.4 million deal.

To facilitate these high-stakes negotiations, the university used its connections within the Seattle sports market. The school worked with Tod Leiweke of the Kraken and One Roof Sports & Entertainment to help manage the process.

The jump from the $42 million dual-venue deal signed by Alaska Airlines in 2015 to the current $70 million single-venue deal for Columbia Bank highlights the accelerating inflation of collegiate branding rights. While the 2015 deal covered both the football stadium and the basketball arena, the new Columbia Bank deal focuses exclusively on the football venue, yet it commands a much higher premium per year.

For the university, these funds are essential for maintaining competitive standing in an increasingly expensive collegiate market. For regional businesses like Columbia Bank, the investment provides a massive platform for visibility among alumni, students, and the broader Washington state demographic.

However, the reliance on massive corporate naming rights often sparks debate regarding the commercialization of public university assets. Critics frequently argue that the “sanctity” of traditional campus landmarks is being traded for essential operational capital, effectively turning historic venues into billboards for private enterprise.

The financial stakes for the university are clear. By securing these long-term, high-value contracts, the school builds a predictable revenue stream that can be used to fund facilities, scholarships, and coaching staff, all of which are required to compete at the highest levels of college athletics.

The University of Washington’s Board of Regents must now formally approve the agreement before the name change takes effect for the 2027 season.

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