Hartford-based United Technologies (UTC), founded by the late Frederick Rentschler, on Thursday alongside the state of Connecticut "extended a naming rights agreement" for UConn's football stadium, which will now be called Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, according to Jeff Otterbein of the HARTFORD COURANT. An original agreement struck in '00 to call the venue Rentschler Field ran through '18, and "this one runs through" '30. The stadium "will gain about 2,500 parking spaces," as UTC as part of the deal "will give the state 10 acres of land for additional parking at the stadium." Thursday's announcement "was part of a groundbreaking ceremony" for UTC subsidiary Pratt & Whitney's new 425,000-square foot HQ and engineering building on the company's East Hartford property. Rentschler Field opened in '03. Otterbein: "Now that it is called Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, will the Rentschler part be lost?" Press releases "will carry the full name and it's likely that many media outlets will refer to it by its full name on first reference." But it "could become Pratt & Whitney Stadium or remain Rentschler Field after that" (HARTFORD COURANT, 7/17).
NAME CHANGE AT DUKE: The Duke Univ. BOT on Friday approved the recommendation that the school's football facility be named Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. Duke alumnus Steve Brooks and his wife, Eileen, have committed $13M to the athletics department, bringing their overall contributions to the university to more than $20M (Duke).
