Sign of the times: McNeese, Navarre ink mega stadium deal

Published 5:24 pm Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Cowboy Stadium isn’t just getting a facelift this season; it’s getting a complete name change.

Along with a new press box and luxury suites, the long-time home of McNeese football has been renamed Navarre Stadium.

The school made the change official Wednesday afternoon during an unveiling ceremony at the stadium.

Ryan Navarre purchased the naming rights with a record 10-year deal worth $5M. It is the largest naming rights gift in the history of McNeese Athletics and the Southland Conference.

“This is huge for our program and our University,” said McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer. “This is something Ryan and I have been working on for close to three years now. This is a tremendous moment, historic for our program, school, and our community.”

The deal comes just 38 days before the Cowboys kick off their season against Louisiana Christian on August 30 in Navarre Stadium.

It is also a big get for the Southland, which was on the brink of extinction just four years ago.

“This is really big for our league,” said Commissioner Chris Grant. “It sets the pace for the rest of the league and shows what can be done at our level.

“We hope that others can follow McNeese’s lead. A high tide raises all ships.”

McNeese athletics itself was sinking before Schroyer and President Dr. Wade Rousse helped turn it around. Some credit also goes to Dr. Daryl Burckel, who hired Schroyer.

“This is a profound day for our University,” said Rousse. “This is one we can look back on and say this was a very big day for our school.”

For Navarre, a McNeese graduate and long-time supporter of the school’s athletics programs, it was a case of helping out his community.

“I’m honored to be a small part of the events that are happening on this campus,” Navarre said. “I have always had a special place in my heart for McNeese and always will.

“The naming of the stadium is not about me, it’s about the community that I love. We live in a special place. What we did with basketball financially and enrollment-wise was phenomenal. With football, we can make even bigger strides.”

New McNeese head football coach Matt Viator understands that. He is returning to the Cowboys’ sidelines after a nine-year absence to help turn the program back into one of the league’s elite.

“I think this is obviously a monumental day for our program and our university,” said Viator. “We have talked about something like this in the past. To finally see it get done and at this level is something really special.”

The deal comes just a couple of weeks after McNeese opened its new $1.5 million Navarre Performance Center, a combination training and nutrition facility located in the Doland Field House.

Schroyer also hopes it shows other businesses in the area what an investment in McNeese Athletics can do for the future. Several projects on campus are under consideration for sponsorships in the upcoming months. 

“We are just getting started,” said Schroyer. “We still have a lot to do.”

On opening night, McNeese will also debut its new press box and luxury suites. The Cowboys haven’t had a press box since 2019, before Hurricane Laura destroyed it.

“It’s happened faster than I thought they would,” said Schroyer. “I think over the next three to five years we can really do something special here.”

Upcoming projects include a new indoor baseball locker room and practice facility, a potential indoor football facility, and the possibility of new naming rights for several other athletic facilities.

All this, with the Cowboys keeping an eye on a possible move up to the FBS level in football, as the landscape shifts once again.

“To get where we want to go, we could not keep doing what we were doing,” said Schroyer. “We have to do what we can to have that decision in our own hands.”

Schroyer also pointed out Bill Dore, who held the naming rights to the stadium. 

“This historic gift would not be possible without Mr. Bill Dore. Mr. Dore’s generously relinquished press box naming rights, allowing us to advance the University,” Schroyer said. “We will always be indebted to Mr. Dore’ for this incredible act of selflessness. It says a lot about his commitment to McNeese State University, and for that, we are endlessly grateful.”