Gophers’ Historic Arena Getting New Name

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A historic University of Minnesota sports venue is getting a new name.

The University of Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota on Friday announced a 10-year collaboration aimed at advancing health and community connection across the state.

As part of the agreement, the home of Gophers basketball will now be known as The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

The arena originally opened in 1928 as the Minnesota Field House. It was known as Williams Arena from 1950 to 2026, though generations of fans have long called it "The Barn."

The university said the collaboration will include health and wellness initiatives across Minnesota, including on-campus health support, professional development and industry exposure for students and alumni, new outdoor community basketball courts, youth sports clinics led by student-athletes, and campaigns focused on mental health awareness and healthy lifestyle changes.

"For many years, Blue Cross and the University of Minnesota have played complementary roles in serving the people of this state — the University through its leadership in education, research and public service, and Blue Cross through its mission-driven commitment to improving health across every community," Dana Erickson, president and CEO at Blue Cross, said in a statement.

"As we look ahead, we're proud to strengthen this enduring relationship and find new ways to come together to advance the health and wellbeing of all Minnesotans."

University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham said the partnership will help the university expand Minnesota's health care workforce and support health statewide.

"At the University of Minnesota, we are guided by our land-grant mission to serve all 87 counties across the state," Cunningham said. "We are proud of our new partnership with Blue Cross, which will help us deliver on our commitment to expand our health and healthcare workforce, advance lifesaving research and support the health of all Minnesotans."

Mark Coyle, the university's director of athletics, called The Barn "one of the most historic and well-known venues in all of college sports."

"We are excited for this partnership and the positive impact it will have on the entire state," Coyle said.