Out with the old, in with the new.
The University of Arizona reached a 20-year, $60 million agreement with Casino Del Sol, an enterprise of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, for naming rights to Arizona Stadium, which is now called Casino Del Sol Stadium.
Arizona’s $60 million naming rights deal with Casino Del Sol is the largest valuation in the Big 12 and one of the largest at the Power 4 level.
The first event at Casino Del Sol Stadium will be Arizona’s home finale against the Baylor Bears, Saturday at 11 a.m. — ironically, under the sun. Stadium signage for Casino Del Sol Stadium is “is a work in progress,” said Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois.
Arizona athletic department staffers, including UA football coach Brent Brennan, met with members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe council and administration and Casino Del Sol representatives for a celebratory moment midfield at Arizona Stadium on Monday morning.
Afterwards, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe council and administration and Casino Del Sol reps, including CEO Amanda Sampson Lomayesva, congregated at the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility, where they were met by cheering members of the UA football staff.
From left to right, Amanda Sampson Lomayesva, CEO of Casino del Sol, Desiree Reed-Francois, director of Arizona Athletics and Julian Hernandez, chairman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, hold up football jerseys at the conclusion of a press conference at Casino Del Sol Stadium on November 17, 2025. It was announced on Monday that the University of Arizona football’s venue will be named Casino Del Sol Stadium.
Following a news conference at Arizona Stadium to announce the partnership between Casino Del Sol and the UA, Lomayesva and Julian Hernandez, the chairman of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, were presented with red No. 25 UA football jerseys with “Casino Del Sol Stadium” and “Pascua Yaqui” emblazoned on the name plate.
Brennan said Monday was “a big day for Arizona Athletics” and the agreement to have Casino Del Sol earn naming rights to Arizona Stadium “speaks to the momentum and it speaks to the excitement about what’s happening at Arizona right now. We’re excited, because this partnership is something new and it’s such a big deal.”
Added Brennan: “Their commitment is telling us how much they believe in what’s happening at the University of Arizona. That’s what’s exciting about it. For someone on that level and want to partner with us and build this thing together, fantastic.”
Reed-Francois said the annual $3 million from Casino Del Sol will “provide competitive resources for all of our programs, including football.”
“This is one of those levers that provide comprehensive support,” she added. “We keep investing in our football program, we keep investing in our student-athletes and this is the modern era of college athletics. Resources are critical. ... This partnership with Casino Del Sol is one facet in that drive for competitive resources. We’re going to keep adding and we have to be aggressive in that space.”
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan goes down the line of fans for high fives after the Wildcats held on to edge Kansas 24-20, Nov. 8, 2025, at Arizona Stadium.
The UA will launch a “feasibility survey (in the next two weeks) to find out what our fans really want to see in the stadium. We have some initial ideas in terms of lighting, sound, video boards, etc. But we want to hear from our fans,” said Arizona’s athletic director.
In addition to contributing to revenue sharing for student-athletes, which is set to increase from $20.5 million to $21.3 million per school in the 2026-27 school year, some of the money from the naming rights agreement will assist with coaching salaries and help “with consistency of leadership,” Brennan said.
“That is so important when you’re building something, consistency of leadership,” Brennan said. “Right now, we have great alignment. ... When you shuffle that deck or when you’re swapping out coaches and leadership or athletic directors or presidents all the time, it’s hard to build any solid foundation to have something that’s sustainable and consistency successful.”
Brennan also highlighted that Arizona’s partnership with Casino Del Sol will improve “our player experience.”
“That’s one of those things we have to be the best in the country at, is our players having a great experience being a part of our program,” Brennan said. “This partnership with Casino Del Sol is so impactful in that, because it’s going to impact how we feed them, how we house them, how we clothe them, how we support them. How do we support them in the weight room? How do we support them academically? How do we support their mental health?
“All of those things are a part of it. This is an incredibly impactful thing and I think it’s going to have a great impact on our football program and our athletics department in general.”
Salgado-Medina responds to struggles in Cincy
When players aren’t up to snuff in games, Brennan takes a positive approach when correcting the Wildcats.
In Arizona’s 30-24 win over No. 25 Cincinnati, UA sophomore kicker Michael Salgado-Medina missed a 40-yard field goal and then his 34-yarder was blocked by Cincinnati defensive back Logan Wilson, who “made a hell of a football play,” Brennan said.
Arizona kicker Michael Salgado-Medina (19) celebrates with teammate Chase Kennedy (7) after kicking a field goal during the second half against Cincinnati, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Cincinnati.
Rather than losing hope in his kicker on the road, Brennan instilled positivity and treated Salgado-Medina, whom Brennan nicknamed “Money Mike,” like one of his golf partners. Yep. Golf.
“I’m a really crappy golfer,” Brennan joked. “I know when I’m playing and I’m playing poorly, if someone is telling me how poorly I’m playing, it’s hard to get better. It doesn’t work that way.
“All football players are confidence players, so I’m going to choose to believe in that kid in that moment. I’m going to choose to believe in him. What the outside world (thinks), whatever. I’m not worried about that, I’m worried about my relationship with Michael, so I’m going to choose to believe in him in that moment.”
Salgado-Medina made his final three attempts against Cincinnati, including a 51-yarder with 1:34 left to play. Had Salgado-Medina missed his final field goal, Arizona would’ve led 27-24 and the Bearcats would’ve started their final drive from the UC 33-yard line and had a chance to potentially kick a game-tying field goal, which is a “very, very different situation in terms of playing defense, so we were really proud of him.”
Salgado-Medina, who has made 16 of 24 field goals, had a similar situation earlier this season, when he missed a 46-yard field goal in the first half against Oklahoma State, but made a 34-yarder to end the first half and then kicked a career-long 57-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
This time, Salgado-Medina’s redemption story was on the road in a tightly contested game for Arizona.
“That was big-time by that kid,” Brennan said. “I was really proud of Michael for how he responded. We talked all season about responding with this football. In that moment, he responded big time.”
Extra points
— Brennan, on Arizona’s confidence at this point of the season: “This team, when we lost those two games, never doubted. They believed in each other, they believed in our staff and they believed in our program. That never wavered. They were steadfast in their belief in what we were doing and where we’re going. For us, it’s always a one-week season. That’s it. Right now, we’re locked into Baylor, because it’s the most important game of the year. We’re not spending any time looking backwards or forwards, we’re right now.”
— Arizona’s defense has 20 takeaways this season, tied for the eighth-most nationally. It’s the most takeaways by an Arizona defense since 2017.
— Arizona will honor 28 seniors for Senior Day on Saturday.
— Former Arizona wide receiver and first-round draft pick Tetairoa McMillan had a career-high eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the Carolina Panthers’ 30-27 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. McMillan is sixth in the NFL in receiving yards (748) this season.
— The TNT broadcasters for the Arizona-Baylor game on Saturday will be JB Long (play-by-play), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst) and Bridget Howard (reporter).
