Indiana's Curt Cignetti Gives Message to Hoosier Nation, Talks Merchants Bank Naming Rights

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti turned to his right, winked at President Pamela Whitten and told her that he wanted to talk to Hoosier Nation.

Less than 24 hours after Indiana announced a 20-year, $50 million agreement with Merchants Bank for the naming rights of the playing surface inside Memorial Stadium, Cignetti expressed his gratitude for the deal — but his mind is primarily focused on the Hoosiers' Week 1 opponent, Old Dominion University.

"We need Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium rocking and rolling, sold out and loud, next Saturday," Cignetti said Friday. "Old Dominion has beaten Virginia Tech twice in recent history. And the Sun Belt Conference, ask Michigan, ask Notre Dame, ask Texas A&M, ask LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Kansas State.

"So, don't believe what you read on social media. I tell that to our players all the time, alright? We need everybody in that stadium making it happen, playing at a high level, so we can walk away happy."

Cignetti added the Hoosiers finished fall camp Thursday night and began preparing for Old Dominion on Friday. He said he was "a little busy," but he also told Whitten there's no doubt the break from game-planning was worth it to publicly announce the agreement with Merchants Bank.

Though all 24 varsity sports at Indiana will benefit from the financial literacy assistance provided to student-athletes, Merchants Bank chairman Mike Petrie said the deal wouldn't have happened without the football team's successful 11-2 season in 2024, nor the belief in where Cignetti has the program headed.

Cignetti said the $50 million contract is important for the Hoosiers' long-term development, and while Dolson later said there isn't yet a defined plan for the money's distribution, it figures to go at least partially toward the ongoing renovations inside Memorial Stadium.

As such, Cignetti, who noted this summer Memorial Stadium needs to "look a lot different" in the future to match Indiana's on-field success, believes the agreement will have a substantial impact on the program.

And he's thankful for the continued financial support Whitten and Dolson have provided to his team, along with the commitment from Petrie and Merchants Bank president Mike Dunlap.

"I've said numerous times: build it, and they will come," Cignetti said. "(This is) further evidence of a rising tide can lift all ships, all boats. But this gift will enhance our ability to compete at the highest level in the Big Ten conference and nationally. And I'm deeply appreciative of the people making it happen."

After leading Indiana to its most successful season in program history last year, Cignetti has found many of his wishes granted. But whether his next aspiration — a sold-out crowd at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 30 — will follow the trend remains to be seen.

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