Galaxy Digital has secured a $75 million deal to rename Texas Tech's football stadium as Galaxy Stadium starting from the 2026 season. According to Sports Business Journal, the 15-year agreement was announced Friday, with the publication reporting the estimated value citing Kirby Hocutt, Texas Tech's athletic director. The deal makes Galaxy the official digital assets and data center partner of Texas Tech Athletics, though neither Galaxy Digital nor the university disclosed the financial terms. The renamed stadium will host its first game on September 5, when Texas Tech opens the season against Abilene Christian University. As per KCBD, Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt emphasized that the partnership aligns with the university's commitment to becoming a leader in Texas' technology and AI space. The previous AT&T naming rights agreement expired in June after a 20-year run, with AT&T withdrawing from consideration for a new deal, as reported by Avalanche-Journal.
The agreement strategically connects Galaxy's West Texas infrastructure with one of the region's most visible college sports programs. Galaxy already operates the Helios data center campus in Dickens County, approximately 60 miles east of Lubbock, which has approval for 1.6 gigawatts of capacity dedicated to artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The company's existing operational base provides a convenient location for the expanded partnership with Texas Tech. Sports Business Journal reports that Galaxy Digital's logo is expected to appear at midfield, though the companies didn't mention this detail in their official announcements. Galaxy's Founder and CEO, Mike Novogratz, highlighted the alignment with Texas Tech's culture and the company's commitment to local hiring and community investment at its Helios campus in nearby Dickens County.
Beyond traditional branding, Galaxy and Texas Tech plan to collaborate on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for Red Raider student-athletes through branded activation campaigns and original content. The partnership will support AI, digital asset, athlete and workforce programs at the university. The agreement extends beyond traditional naming rights to include high-impact branding, enhanced fan engagement, and meaningful community involvement across West Texas. The partnership designates Galaxy as the official data center and digital assets partner of Texas Tech Athletics, with branding extending across football and basketball programs. Sports Business Journal reports that the agreement will also include social and in-game activations across the school's sports programs. The $75 million deal will be paid out over the life of the agreement, unlike the previous AT&T arrangement that provided upfront payments, allowing Texas Tech to generate additional revenue from naming rights throughout the partnership period.
For nearly 80 years, the facility has been called the Jones Stadium, honoring Clifford B. Jones, Texas Tech's third president. As per KCBD, Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt emphasized the university's commitment to honoring Jones' legacy while inventing the future. The university maintains four guiding principles within Texas Tech athletics that include honoring the past and inventing the future. The partnership comes at a pivotal time for Texas Tech, following a Big 12 title and College Football Playoff appearance, and will create a new revenue stream for the athletics department. The deal will remove the Jones name from the stadium title after nearly eight decades, marking a significant change in the venue's naming history. The university and athletic department will continue to honor Clifford B. Jones in some capacity, with details to be determined at a later date.
The Texas Tech deal continues the state's expansion of cryptocurrency and digital asset infrastructure. Texas already hosts Bitcoin miners and infrastructure operators including Riot Platforms, Cipher Mining, Core Scientific, CleanSpark, IREN and Hut 8. In February, mining hardware maker Canaan purchased a 49% interest in three operating Texas mining sites from Cipher Mining for almost $40 million. Earlier this month, MARA Holdings announced plans to acquire a powered site with two gigawatts of capacity in Texas for high-performance computing and Bitcoin mining operations.
