Exactech President & CEO David Petty said that keeping the O'Connell name on the Univ. of Florida's basketball arena "did not factor into negotiations" when the medical device company signed a naming-rights deal for the facility, according to Kevin Brockway of the GAINESVILLE SUN. Petty "understands that the natural reaction at first will be for people to still call the building the O’Dome." Petty said that the "overall awareness of the company is as important to him as what the building is called on a daily basis." Brockway notes Exactech’s deal will include extensive signage within the arena, "commercials produced and placed" on FS Florida and Sun Sports and "curriculum integration" through the Fox Sports University program. The Exactech deal "ranks in the middle of the pack" in terms of D-I naming-rights deals. UF Exec Associate AD/External Affairs Mike Hill said the school "hired a sports branding consultant" to come up with the $5.9M figure. Brockway notes the contract "includes an option for Exactech" to extend the deal to $9.4M over 15 years. Hill said, "We anticipate and expect that to happen because we feel the value will be delivered to Exactech and vice-versa" (GAINESVILLE SUN, 7/21).
