North Texas, Apogee Unveil New Apogee Stadium

DENTON, Texas (August 12, 2011) - The University of North Texas and Apogee today  announced a 20-year naming-rights sponsorship agreement for the new Mean Green Athletics football stadium, located within the Mean Green Village athletics complex on the UNT campus in Denton, Texas.  The $20 million deal is the second largest naming-rights agreement for college football stadiums to date.

Apogee Stadium is the centerpiece of the recently developed Mean Green Village, which encompasses most of the academic, training and competition facilities for UNT's nearly 400 student-athletes. With a capacity of nearly 31,000, the stadium was built under the design and construction of award-winning companies HKS and Manhattan Construction.  It features 21 luxury suites, 750 club seats, banquet space and a team spirit apparel store.  

Apogee is the nation's largest provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNet) for higher education. Since 2008, Apogee has successfully partnered with UNT to manage the student ResNet for the residential community on the UNT campus.

"As we began the process of attracting a partner for the stadium naming rights, our primary goal was to find a company that tied into and complemented the mission of higher education," said North Texas Director of Athletics Rick Villarreal. "I believe this partnership will benefit the University of North Texas in many ways and help make UNT a more productive and innovative place because Apogee is committed to those principles. To say we are excited to have Apogee on our team would be an understatement!"  

The agreement between North Texas Athletics and Apogee was reached through a collaborative effort between North Texas Athletics, Apogee and Premier Partnerships - nationally recognized sports sales and advisory firm based out of Los Angeles.   

"UNT found an ideal teammate in Apogee, a Texas-based company that shares our commitment to higher education and to having positive economic and social impacts. We know firsthand Apogee's stellar quality and commitment to students and through this new partnership we are able to improve the environment for our students and our communities," said UNT President V. Lane Rawlins.

"Apogee has a deep respect for UNT and we're proud to partner with North Texas Athletics on the development of this new venue," said Chuck Brady, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Apogee. "Both UNT and Apogee are dedicated to the advancement of higher education through innovative, technology-based learning and experience. UNT is a very progressive campus and we felt that culturally it was a great fit. If we can invest back into higher education while raising awareness of ResNet outsourcing for schools, it's a win for the university, a win for UNT students and a win for us." 

With more than 36,000 students, UNT is the nation's 33rd largest university. As the largest, most comprehensive university in Dallas-Fort Worth, UNT helps drive the North Texas region.

"Apogee Stadium sits as a landmark near the entrance to UNT and is a symbol for the university's commitment to provide students the best undergraduate education experience in Texas while fostering the three A's: academics, athletics and the arts," Rawlins said. "This state-of-the-art venue will give fans the opportunity to bond through Mean Green pride and to carry on the traditions that have been woven into the fabric of our local communities."

As part of UNT's dedication to green, Apogee Stadium is striving to become the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certified stadium for standards for clean technology innovation. It will feature renewable energy, providing power through three 121-foot wind turbines with 30-foot long blades. It is estimated that the three wind turbines will offset the energy consumption of the stadium and Mean Green Village by about six percent and eliminate 323 metric tons of carbon dioxide being emitted annually.

Apogee Stadium will replace 59-year-old Fouts Field as the new home of the Mean Green. The first game in Apogee Stadium will feature North Texas versus Houston on Sept. 10.

About the University of North Texas
As a student-focused public research university with more than 36,000 students, the University of North Texas is the nation's 33 ^rd-largest public university. UNT offers 97 bachelor's, 88 master's and 40 doctoral degree programs, many nationally and internationally recognized. UNT is the flagship of the UNT System.

UNT is committed to providing students the best undergraduate education in Texas and is known for keeping high-quality public higher education affordable and accessible to a diverse population. UNT has awarded more than 200,000 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees with about 100,000 alumni living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A nationally recognized university, UNT maintains a legacy in music, art and education excellence as it is growing as a major research university.

About Apogee
Apogee is the largest, most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNet) in higher education. Partnering with Apogee for ResNet services allows colleges and universities to enhance their network infrastructure while offloading the growing volume of administrative responsibilities associated with managing a student network. This partnership allows IT to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogee.us.

Additional Quotes

Rick Villarreal, Director of Athletics, University of North Texas
"From the first meeting it was obvious to both sides that this was a great fit. In Apogee and CEO Chuck Brady, we are partnering with a company that understands university life and is continually evolving, creating systems that result in an enhanced environment for students on campus. This new agreement contains benefits that will not only allow the athletic department to continue to make significant strides, but also provide upgraded services for students at no cost to the University." 

Hank Dickenson, Deputy Director of Athletics, University of North Texas
"John and I have a made a number of presentations in the last few months to potential founding partners and naming-rights sponsors. None felt as instantly positive and productive as our initial meeting with Chuck Brady and Mark Holt. There was immediate interest in what we were doing and it has definitely moved on a very fast track, thanks in large part to Apogee's understanding and appreciation for our institution. This project has certainly been a big assignment and it has come to fruition with a great organization! You are always game planning for win-win propositions and we have landed one with Apogee. We couldn't be more excited about the expansion of this already great relationship between Apogee and North Texas!" 

Naming Rights Nationally
With today's official unveiling, Apogee Stadium at The University of North Texas becomes the 12^th college football stadium in the nation to sign an agreement with a commercial partner for a naming-rights sponsorship. Through this sponsorship with The University of North Texas, Apogee supports students and residents of the Dallas Fort Worth community as they bond through the spirit of Mean Green athletics. The $20 million deal is the second largest naming-rights agreement for college football stadiums to date. 

Below is an at-a-glance matrix detailing universities and their respective contracts: