Bright House Networks has acquired naming rights to the University of Central Florida's new football stadium slated to open next year, the university and cable provider announced today in an on-campus ceremony.

UCF has begun construction on "Bright House Stadium," which is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2007 home opener against the University of Texas. According to the agreement, UCF will receive $15 million over 15 years for naming rights to the Golden Knights' stadium.

"This generous support from our friends at Bright House Networks will help us build a first-class stadium on our campus that will attract the best student-athletes and provide an exciting college football experience for students, alumni and other fans," UCF President John Hitt said.

"We are excited about announcing this new partnership between Bright House Networks and UCF because it demonstrates our commitment to the community, as well as to this university, which has played such a pivotal role in Central Florida's growth," said J. Christian Fenger, president of Bright House Networks Central Florida Division. "As an on-campus sports venue, we believe Bright House Networks Stadium will become an important facility in this community and a symbol of our support for UCF's leadership as one of the largest and most successful state universities in the country."

The 45,000-seat stadium will be in the intercollegiate athletics complex in the north end of the East Orlando campus. The complex includes the Convocation Center, which also is scheduled to be completed in fall 2007; the Nicholson Fieldhouse; the Wayne Densch Sports Center; other athletics fields; student housing; and retail space that will include restaurants and shops.

The estimated $47 million stadium is part of a total $60 million project that includes financing costs, reserve requirements, infrastructure, roads, parking and practice fields for football, soccer and baseball.

Construction and operation of the stadium will be funded through naming rights, revenues from suites and club seat leases, ticket and concessions sales, donations, corporate sponsorships and advertising. No public money or tuition will be used to build or run the stadium.

The university has raised about $29 million in private donations for the stadium, including Bright House Network's support and sales of the 25 suites and 800 club seats. The suites and club seats have already sold out.

Bright House Networks is the region's leading provider of home entertainment and information and serves more than 800,000 customers in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, Marion, Sumter and Lake counties. The company's fiber-optic network offers digital cable, HDTV, digital video recorders, iCONTROL Video On Demand and Premium On Demand, digital phone and multiple high-speed Internet services.

Bright House Networks, which is owned by Advance/Newhouse Communications, also exclusively provides Central Florida News 13, the region's only 24-hour local news channel.

UCF has played at the Florida Citrus Bowl stadium near downtown Orlando since the football team's inaugural season in 1979. This past December, the Golden Knights hosted the inaugural Conference USA Championship at the Citrus Bowl. Nearly 52,000 fans attended.

UCF football tickets may be purchased by calling 407-UCF-1000. Visit ucfathletics.com and click on "Tickets" for more information or to buy tickets online.