Dickies will have its name on a future arena in Fort Worth, as the company has signed on as the naming rights partner for the venue. The Multipurpose Arena Fort Worth (MAFW) and Dickies made the announcement on Tuesday.
Ground was broken for Dickies Arena on Tuesday, beginning a construction process that should allow the venue to open in November 2019. The multipurpose arena will host first and second round action in the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and has helped Fort Worth land the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships for four years beginning in 2019. The first year that the Gymnastics Championship will be played at Dickies Arena is 2020; the Fort Worth Convention Center will host the event in 2019.
The naming rights partnership includes branding on the exterior of the arena, at entrances and in the interior of the facility, among other opportunities like outfitting arena staff in Dickies performance workwear.
“We were established in Fort Worth in 1922 as a family-run company and grew to become the world’s leading performance workwear brand from right here in this city,” said Phillip Williamson, chairman and CEO of Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co. “Today you can find Dickies in more than 100 countries internationally, and yet we are committed to maintaining our headquarters in Fort Worth, just south of downtown. We’re proud that Dickies Arena will redefine what local entertainment means to our neighbors in Fort Worth.”
The new arena is the result of a pioneering public-private partnership between the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, the State of Texas and a group of private-sector participants, including foundations, individuals and organizations. The partnership was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November 2014.
“Dickies Arena is going to be a premier venue in the entertainment industry that will attract new and noteworthy shows and events to the area for all Fort Worth citizens to enjoy,” said Matt Homan, MAFW’s president and general manager. “We are excited to be partnering with a Fort Worth based company that aligns with this vision.”
Dickies Arena will bring a wide variety of programming to Fort Worth, including concerts, family shows, sporting events, community events and will be the new home to the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo performances. The $450 million project will complement the current Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, which will continue to serve as a major equestrian show arena.