Source: North Texas reaches an agreement with DATCU to become its new stadium naming rights partner

North Texas officially announced a naming rights agreement with DATCU for its football stadium on Monday morning.

The venue will be known as DATCU Stadium beginning with the Mean Green’s season opener against Cal on Sept. 2.

The local credit union took over the naming rights for the venue that was previously known as Apogee Stadium. Austin-based telecommunications company Apogee backed out of a 20-year, $20 million deal in the past few months.

The original naming rights agreement was put in place before the 30,850-seat venue opened in 2011.

UNT’s partnership with DATCU will make the company the official financial institution of the school’s athletics program and alumni association.

The Denton Record-Chronicle reported Sunday night that the deal was imminent.

Financial terms of the deal were not available.

A UNT source said deal still has to be legally finalized.

“I’m thrilled to have DATCU joining the Mean Green family as our new stadium sponsor,” UNT athletic director Jared Mosley said in a statement. “The opportunity to add a partner that has such deep ties and association with UNT and the city of Denton could not be better as we launch into this new era of athletics in the American Athletic Conference.”

UNT officially joined the American on July 1 after a decade in Conference USA.

The school will enter a new era for its football program this fall with a naming rights partner with deep ties to UNT and the Denton community.

In the 1930s, V.Y. Craig and Ross Compton, professors at what was then known as North Texas State College, joined with 11 other educators to pool $650 and establish Denton County Teachers Federal Credit Union.

DATCU now has more than 100,000 members and has assets in excess of $1.5 billion. The business serves residents in 11 counties, mostly in North Texas near UNT.

“As a core value, we believe in supporting our communities,” said Melanie Vest, DATCU president and a UNT alumna. “Our history and roots as the Denton Area Teachers Credit Union have us firmly engrained into the UNT culture, so this partnership is the perfect hometown match.”

UNT moved quickly once Apogee backed out of its agreement. The school worked with Independent Sports & Entertainment to find a new naming rights partner for the 30,850-seat venue.

UNT needed just a few months to identify DATCU and announce an agreement.

“We deeply appreciate the support that this sponsorship means for our community,” UNT President Neal Smatresk said. “I look forward to working together with DATCU as we start our first season with the American Athletic Conference and all the excitement this will bring to our students, faculty, staff and community.

“It’s an exciting time for the Mean Green and UNT Athletics as we embark on this new journey with the American and DATCU.”