Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena has officially become Ariat Arena under a new 10-year naming rights agreement, ending the venue’s longtime partnership with Dickies following a dispute over unpaid sponsorship fees.
The change, announced Monday by Trail Drive Management Corp. and Ariat International, takes effect immediately. The agreement brings a new name to the 14,000-seat entertainment venue as Ariat expands its Fort Worth operations through a previously announced investment exceeding $70 million.
Why Dickies Lost The Naming Rights
Dickies had been the arena’s naming rights partner since 2017, two years before the venue opened in Fort Worth’s Cultural District.
However, the relationship changed as the longtime Fort Worth workwear brand underwent major corporate transitions.
In 2024, then-parent company VF Corp. announced plans to relocate Dickies’ headquarters from Fort Worth to Costa Mesa, California.
VF subsequently sold Dickies to New York-based Bluestar Alliance for $600 million. The transaction closed November 12, 2025, according to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
By spring 2026, the naming rights relationship had deteriorated.
On April 22, Trail Drive Management Corp., the nonprofit organization that operates the city-owned arena, sent demand letters to Bluestar Alliance and VF Corp. seeking overdue contractual payments.
The organization confirmed the dispute in a statement subsequently published by FOX 4.
The statement said both companies owed payments associated with the arena’s naming rights. It also emphasized that the dispute would not affect event bookings, arena operations, or the venue’s financial health.
During a June interview, Trail Drive Management Corp. President Matt Homan said Bluestar Alliance no longer wanted to maintain the naming rights arrangement.
The companies have not publicly disclosed the amount of the overdue payments or whether the dispute has been resolved.
Ariat Signs 10-Year Agreement
Under Monday’s agreement, Ariat becomes the arena’s exclusive corporate partner in the Western wear, workwear, and boot categories.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Ariat already had an established relationship with the venue as the sponsor of The Ariat Club, its premium hospitality space. The company is also a longtime supporter of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.
“Bringing Ariat’s name to an arena that celebrates Fort Worth’s Western heritage and brings the community together for sports, music, and entertainment is especially meaningful to us,” Susan Alcala, Ariat’s vice president of partnership marketing, said in the company’s announcement.
Ariat CEO Liz O’Neill described the agreement as another step in the company’s relationship with Fort Worth.
“Fort Worth has played a huge part in Ariat’s growth, and the city and the State of Texas have been incredible partners every step of the way,” O’Neill said in the announcement.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker also welcomed the partnership.
“I can’t think of a better naming partner than Ariat – one of the world’s leading Western and equestrian performance brands – for our city’s cherished arena,” Parker said.
Ariat Expanding In Fort Worth
Founded in 1993, Ariat manufactures footwear and apparel for Western, equestrian, and workwear markets. The company’s name comes from the legendary racehorse Secretariat.
Ariat established its regional headquarters in Fort Worth in 2020 and opened a flagship retail store in Mule Alley in the Fort Worth Stockyards in 2022.
In 2025, the company announced a two-phase expansion of its regional headquarters involving more than $70 million in investment and 250 new jobs, according to Monday’s announcement.
Gov. Greg Abbott separately announced December 3, 2025, that an Ariat regional headquarters expansion would create 150 jobs and involve more than $8.9 million in capital investment.
The governor’s announcement also identified a $1.5 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant for the project.
The grant is a performance-based state economic development incentive. It was associated with Ariat’s headquarters expansion, not the arena naming rights agreement.
The companies did not disclose whether any public funding is involved in the new naming rights agreement.
What Changes For Events And Visitors?
The arena’s new name took effect Monday, although the physical transition will continue through the end of the year.
Temporary Ariat signage is already being introduced, with permanent signage expected to be installed by December 31.
The transition is scheduled for completion before the 130th Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo begins January 15, 2027.
Since opening in 2019, the arena has hosted more than 935 events and welcomed more than 6 million visitors, according to Trail Drive Management.
The venue was ranked No. 1 worldwide among similarly sized arenas in Pollstar’s 2025 rankings.
Ariat Arena is projected to host more than 145 shows, including performances by Ty Myers, Riley Green, and Leon Bridges, along with NCAA basketball and gymnastics competitions.
The new partnership also calls for Ariat and Trail Drive Management to establish a charitable giving program supporting Fort Worth-area organizations.
Details about the program’s recipients and financial commitments have not yet been announced.
The arena remains at its existing location near the Will Rogers Memorial Center. Its official website now reflects the Ariat name.
The 10-year agreement replaces a naming rights partnership that began nearly a decade ago with one of Fort Worth’s most recognizable clothing brands.
Provided by Dallas Express
