Arena naming: Fort Worth venue becomes Ariat Arena

A Fort Worth arena is being renamed Ariat Arena under a 10-year naming rights agreement announced October 26.

Trail Drive Management Corp., the not-for-profit that manages the venue, and Ariat International struck the deal, which takes effect immediately. The agreement names Ariat the official and exclusive partner for western wear, work wear, and boot categories at the arena. Ariat had already served as title sponsor of The Ariat Club, the venue's premium hospitality space, and has been a corporate sponsor of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. Ariat opened a regional headquarters in Fort Worth in 2020 and a flagship store in Mule Alley in the Fort Worth Stockyards in 2022. In 2025, the company announced a two-phase expansion of that headquarters, investing more than $70 million and creating 250 jobs in the city.

The venue seats 14,000 and also manages the adjacent Will Rogers Memorial Center, including Will Rogers Auditorium and Will Rogers Coliseum. The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo carries a $1.6 million purse. Pollstar ranked the arena first among similarly sized venues worldwide in 2025. Since opening, the venue has hosted more than 935 events and drawn more than 6 million fans.

Under the agreement, Ariat and Trail Drive Management Corp. will also set up a charitable giving program for Fort Worth-area organizations. Matt Homan, president of Trail Drive Management Corp., said the arena has become an icon in Fort Worth for concerts, sporting events, and family shows. "We look forward to continuing our story and embracing our Western culture and history with Ariat," Homan said.

Susan Alcala, Ariat's vice president of partnership marketing, pointed to the company's ties to the venue dating to 2023. "Since becoming a founding partner in 2023, we've built a relationship with the Arena team grounded in trust and respect," Alcala said. Ariat CEO Liz O'Neill said Fort Worth and Texas have been partners in the company's growth. Beth Cross, co-founder and executive chair of Ariat's board, called the naming "an incredible milestone for Ariat." Matt Carter, president and general manager of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, said the combination of the three organizations will "take the guest experience to new heights in Ariat Arena." Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said she could not think of a better naming partner for the city's arena.

Ariat was founded in 1993 and was the first company to integrate athletic footwear technology into boots for equestrian athletes and Western riders. The company takes its name from Secretariat.

As Ariat Arena, the venue is projected to host more than 145 shows, including performances by Ty Myers, Riley Green, and Leon Bridges. Scheduled sporting events include the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball First and Second Rounds and the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships. New signage carrying the Ariat name goes up immediately, with permanent installation expected by year's end. The 130th Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo begins January 15.