Athletics department names FIU stadium after Miami FC President

Peter Holland, Jr. // Staff Writer

The FIU Athletics department has revealed that the football stadium will be now named Riccardo Silva Stadium for four years. The decision was made after Silva was recognized for his $3.7 million donation to the department since 2015.

“I want to personally thank Riccardo Silva for his generous gift and his belief in FIU Athletics,” said FIU Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment Pete Garcia. “It means a great deal to the department and illustrates the relationship we have built with Riccardo Silva. These are the type of gifts that help achieve our goal toward building world-class facilities for our student-athletes and our community.”

Silva is the president and co-owner of the Miami FC soccer team, which started its first season in 2016 in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Silva, an Italian businessman and entrepreneur is also an owner of the Silva International Investments. With his love for soccer and almost two decades of running team organizations, the Milan native is looking forward to the partnership with FIU.

The donation and renovations of the Silva Stadium included the installment of a new jumbotron, which is measured over 1800 square feet. The upgraded video board will feature a 13HD pixel layout, the premier technology used for outdoor applications within the sports industry, according to the Athletics Department. It will have live video and instant-replay capabilities, along with multiple zones of content, including statistics and graphics.

“FIU has been an amazing partner since we began working together with Miami FC,” said Silva. “When I brought professional soccer to Miami last year, I never dreamed that the Miami FC would be playing in a stadium named after me.  It’s a huge honor of which I’m very proud and grateful.”

Along with the new jumbotron, Silva Stadium has also installed a new surface for the football field from FieldTurf’s Revolution 360. The new turf field features fibers that provide longevity and resilience, and is used by many of the country’s top venues, according to the Athletics Department.

“I’m proud of the partnership with Riccardo Silva that speaks to our win-win commitment to our community,” said President Mark B. Rosenberg.

Miami FC is in the beginning of its season, and the team will play its next two matches at Silva Stadium starting on April 22 against the Carolina RailHawks at 7:30 p.m. and FC Edmonton on Apr. 29 at 7:30 p.m.