FTX.US, the U.S. affiliate of crypto exchange FTX, has signed a $17.5 million, 10-year agreement with Cal Athletics, the athletic department of the University of California, Berkeley, for the naming rights to the field at California Memorial Stadium.

The field will be known as the “FTX Field” at the California Memorial Stadium and is FTX.US’ first college-related cryptocurrency naming rights sponsorship. The Berkeley campus is the flagship campus of the University of California system.
Cal Athletics’ multimedia rights holder Learfield will accept the payment in cryptocurrency on behalf of the university.
FTX has been on a sports and e-sports sponsorship spending spree this year. In March, the exchange secured the naming rights to the home arena of NBA team Miami Heat for a reported $135 million, while in June, the exchange paid $210 million to acquire the naming rights for e-sports organization TSM.
The latest deal involves FTX featuring its branding on press backdrops and launching a platform with Cal Athletics to support philanthropic projects.
FTX has a connection to Cal Athletics through Chief Operating Officer Sina Nader, who is a Cal alumnus and was a walk-on member of the football team. "We're excited to partner with one of the world's great universities and expand crypto's presence into the collegiate athletics landscape," Nader said in a press release.

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FTX Signs $17.5M Deal to Sponsor UC-Berkeley Athletic Department

Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto exchange has signed its first college sports sponsorship deal, with the payment in this case to be made in crypto.

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