It’s not Champaign’s Assembly Hall any more.
Instead, the home of University Illinois basketball is now called the State Farm Center, under a 30-year, $60 million naming rights agreement announced Monday. U of I Athletic Director Mike Thomas says the university is proud of their new relationship with the Bloomington-based insurance company:
“In the world of college athletics, State Farm is a 5-star recruit; in our world, “like a good neighbor”, is only 50 miles down Interstate 74. And many State Farm employees are University of Illinois graduates, fans and supporters.
The naming rights agreement that takes effect immediately will help the U of I pay for a major renovation of the 50-year-old arena in Champaign. That’s set to be completed in the fall of 2016.