Photo Credit: FIU Athletics
Pitbull has become the first artist to secure naming rights for a stadium through a deal with Florida International University (FIU). The 10-year agreement will see FIU Stadium rebranded as Pitbull Stadium.
The rapper kicked off his career in South Florida in 2004, skyrocketing to global stardom and becoming one of the most successful recording artists worldwide. His hits like “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” and “Give Me Everything” have dominated charts and united fans across the globe.
The collaboration will include multi-faceted marketing and promotional opportunities between Pitbull, a Miami native, and FIU—the only public Division-I institution in Miami. When he steps on the stage at Pitbull Stadium, he will become the first entertainer in history to perform in an athletics facility bearing his name.
“This partnership with FIU is a true honor and testament to what we can achieve when we work hard,” says Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull). “Renaming the stadium isn’t just about a name change. 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 partnership marks Pitbull’s participation in FIU football’s Vice Night, featuring Miami-style colors and merchandise, with the Panthers donning their nationally acclaimed Vice uniform. This year’s game will take place on October 22 at 7:30 pm against Sam Houston State and will be broadcast across the country on ESPNU.
“Pitbull’s career trajectory mirror’s FIU’s ascent as one of the nation’s top public research universities,” adds FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell. “Like FIU, he started out very 305 and became worldwide.”
Pitbull has been a longstanding advocate for education, especially in his home state. He founded the first SLAM! (Sports Leadership, Arts, and Management) tuition-free public charter school in Miami in 2012. The K-12 schools leverage universal themes such as sports, science, technology, and media to engage its students. SLAM! serves nearly 10,000 students across 14 schools in Florida, Nevada, Georgia, Texas, and Arizona.
