Cote: Pitbull-FIU deal is music megastar boosting underdog in turf war vs. Miami Hurricanes | Opinion
Armando Christian Perez always considered himself an underdog, with reason. He was Miami-born to Cuban immigrants, his father seldom around and both parents dealing with substance abuse that ensnared him for a time. He got kicked out of the family home, got raised by Miami, by music, by a belief in himself.
And became Pitbull, global music superstar, businessman and one of the great Miami success stories -- “Mr. 305” and “Mr. Worldwide.”
Tuesday his journey took him to the campus of the city’s Florida International University, where he said this to help explain this intriguing new alliance with FIU: “Being underdogs is what I always felt about FIU, clawing just to be seen...”
FIU Stadium where football is played became Pitbull Stadium on Tuesday as the 2024 college season nears.
“What we’re doing here is groundbreaking. We’re making history,” if Pitbull, now 43, did say so himself. “We don’t do this for propaganda. We do it from the heart. We do it because it’s meaningful. We do it because I’m from the crib. I’m 305. This is my backyard.”
Celebrities aligned with sports teams are not new. Miami Dolphins limited partners include Serena Williams and Marc Anthony, for example. But this business deal makes this the first sports venue in the world named after a music artist.
Pitbull pays: $1.2 million a year to FIU over five years (with an option for five more), and will write an “anthem” for FIU.
Pitbull gets: the stadium name, his Voli 305 vodka brand sold at it, use of the stadium 10 days per year, two reserved suites at every home game, the title Official Entrepreneur of FIU Athletics, and his anthem played at campus sporting events.
And the odds are only roughly 99 percent that he’ll perform a concert at his now-namesake stadium.
“This is a historic day for FIU to uniquely partner with a world-renowned artist who truly values his community,” said Director of Athletics Scott Carr. “Armando’s financial support is program-changing, but him providing a microphone to amplify FIU will be even more beneficial to growing our brand. This will take us to another level. Paws Up, Dale!”
(‘Paws up, Dale’ may need explaining, lest you fear Mr. Carr may have had a minor stroke and thought Pitbull’s given name was Dale, or meant to say Dade as in Miami-Dade County. In fact Dale is the name of one of Pitbull’s albums -- still a left-field reference considering the record is nine years old and had disappointing sales. But we digress...)
Pitbull’s U.S. records sales peaked circa 2012-13 but he remains big in this country and bigger in Latin America in genres from hip-hop to pop. He performed prior to the Super Bowl here in January 2020. He owns a NASCAR racing team and will perform at the 2025 Daytona 500. He is so big that my first impression Tuesday was:
FIU should be paying Pitbull to have his name on the stadium not vice versa!
Also: Why is Pitbull putting his brand name on a stadium that is home to a Panthers team with a 9-32 record since 2020? A program that ranked 116th of 134 schools in NCAA FBS-level (Division 1) football attendance in 2023? A team that is swallowed for attention in the forever shadow of the nearby, five-time national champion Miami Hurricanes?
The answer gets back to that underdog thing, and to Pitbull’s connection to the public university in his backyard more so than the private school in Coral Gables.
But the answer is more than that.
The answer is FIU’s ambition in this market, and vs. UM. It is too dramatic to say FIU has declared war on the Hurricanes with Pitbull leading its coalescing army. But it is not wrong to say this is a turf war of sorts.
FIU envisions a day when it outgrows its 20,000-seat stadium. When it outgrows Conference USA in an era where league-jumping is the norm. And, yes, when it is as big as the Miami Hurricanes in this market or at least in the fight in that argument.
UM, after all, has struggled to get back to national-power status since winning its last national title in 2001. The pressure is on Mario Cristobal -- who coached FIU in 2007-12 -- after going 12-13 his past two season back in Miami. And the Hurricanes are rarely filling mammoth Hard Rock Stadium.
(Quick aside: Pitbull never attended FIU. Another Miami megastar Dwyane ”The Rock” Johnson, played football at UM. The Canes could enter a naming rights deal with him and not even have to change the name of Hard Rock Stadium.)
As for that turf war stuff: FIU already touts phrases like, “Welcome to the 305” and “the 305’s University” -- as if it, not UM, represents the county.
FIU must start winning in football first to be taken seriously. Pitbull’s name is not on the science lab. The inroad against UM will never open as long as the Panthers are irrelevant in a minor conference. FIU has not won consistently in the biggest sport since the program began in 2002. And current coach Mike MacIntyre, 8-16 the past two seasons, surely won’t make it to year four unless FIU shows big improvement this season as it opens August 31 at Indiana and then christens Pitbull Stadium with the home opener September 7 vs. Central Michigan.
For now, though, this Pitbull/FIU alliance is brilliant, innovative, fun.
Pitbull gets to grow his brand in a whole new way in his hometown by championing the underdog that he was once.
And FIU instantly gets what its football program has forever lacked, craved and desperately needed:
Attention.