CommunityAmerica acquires naming rights for Razorback Stadium

The 76,000-seat Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium at the University of Arkansas will become the CommunityAmerica Razorback Stadium on July 1, 2027. The stadium was renamed in 2001 in honor of the late Donald W. Reynolds.

At a special meeting Wednesday (June 24), the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees approved the name change as part of a 13-year, multimillion-dollar deal negotiated by Dallas-based sports marketing agency Learfield on behalf of Razorback Athletics. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation paid $20 million in 1999 for 25-year naming rights to the stadium. That contract expired in June 2024.

Lenexa, Kan.-based CommunityAmerica Credit Union was founded in 1940 and recently entered the Northwest Arkansas market through a merger with Unify Financial Credit Union. The combined company has nearly $10 billion in assets and more than 600,000 members nationwide.

Hunter Yurachek, vice chancellor and director of athletics at the University of Arkansas, said the name change “positions Razorback Athletics for continued success while aligning our program with a valued partner that shares our commitment to excellence, service and community impact.”

Lisa Ginter, CEO of CommunityAmerica, said the agreement goes beyond a contract and that renaming the stadium to CommunityAmerica Razorback Stadium “literally gave me goosebumps. Actually, it got me a little choked up because everything we do is about community and being really invested in the community. So we are beyond excited to be part of this rich tradition here in Northwest Arkansas.

“And what I can say is you’re going to count on us being really big and showing up big in this community,” she added. “Everything we do, we do with heart, and we give back in a big way.”

“This represents an historic and transformational partnership for both Razorback Athletics and CommunityAmerica Credit Union,” Yurachek said. “The agreement includes several significant sponsorship elements highlighted by the opportunity to place the CommunityAmerica name on Razorback Stadium, beginning July 1, 2027, in conjunction with the 2027 Razorback football season.”

Before the 2001 season, Razorback Stadium underwent a $110 million project, which included a $20 million gift from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, that increased the seating capacity from 51,000 to 72,000. A 2011 renovation that included enclosing the north end zone boosted seating capacity to 76,000.

The stadium underwent a $160 million expansion completed before the 2018 season. The work included the reconstruction of the Frank Broyles Athletic Center and additional improvements to the north end zone. Natural grass replaced the AstroTurf in 2019.

Razorback Stadium has been the home of the Razorback football team since 1938.