Galaxy Digital to rename Texas Tech’s stadium in $75M deal

Galaxy Digital agreed to pay about $75 million over 15 years to rename Texas Tech’s Jones AT&T Stadium to Galaxy Stadium. The new name takes effect for the season opener on Sept. 5, 2026, when the Red Raiders host Abilene Christian in Lubbock.

Under the agreement announced July 17, Galaxy will pay about $5 million a year. The deal replaces AT&T’s naming rights, which had been linked to the venue for roughly 20 years and expired in June. Galaxy will serve as Texas Tech Athletics’ official data center and digital assets partner statewide, with branding and in-game integration across football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball.

The contract includes Name, Image and Likeness opportunities for student-athletes, allowing them to participate in branded campaigns and content tied to Galaxy. It also includes commitments for local hiring and community investment in West Texas connected to Galaxy’s existing operations. Learfield negotiated the agreement through Texas Tech Athletics Partners.

Galaxy Digital, led by founder Michael Novogratz, operates business lines in digital asset trading and custody, data center and artificial intelligence infrastructure, and treasury management. The company reported roughly $9 billion in assets on its platform earlier this year. Galaxy operates the Helios data center in Dickens County, about 60 miles from Lubbock, with an approved capacity of 1.6 gigawatts and a closed-loop water system; the company has hired Texas Tech graduates for that facility.

Texas Tech Athletics Director Kirby Hocutt described the partnership as one that ‘will help create lasting memories for fans inside the stadium.’ Michael Novogratz pointed to the school’s large, engaged fan base and recent team achievements, including a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance, as reasons for the investment. Andrew Wheeler of Learfield called the agreement ‘one that goes beyond a traditional sponsorship by building in long-term fan engagement and campus impact.’

Early reaction from fans has included nostalgia for the Jones AT&T name and light-hearted references to popular culture. The university plans a formal recognition of Clifford B. Jones, the campus leader whose name has been on the stadium since it opened in 1947.