ATLANTA — Georgia State University has begun exploration of a naming partner for the GSU Convocation Center. This milestone is the first of its kind for the newly built facility.
Opened in 2022, the state-of-the-art GSU Convocation Center is a 200,000-square-foot, multipurpose venue in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It serves as the home for the Georgia State men's and women's basketball teams while also supporting a wide range of university events, academic ceremonies, concerts and community engagement activities.
"The Convocation Center is a strategic piece to the Summerhill neighborhood and a beautiful facility for our basketball games and other campus and community events," said Georgia State Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb. "The location is convenient and highly visible, and it's a showcase of the investment and incredible transformation happening right now in downtown Atlanta."
Georgia State has become the catalyst for engagement and growth in downtown and has a $3.2 billion impact on metro Atlanta annually. With a student body of more than 52,000, Georgia State is the largest in-person university in the state. It confers degrees to more than 10,000 students each year.
Five Perimeter campus locations connect with the cities and communities of Clarkston, Decatur, Dunwoody, Newton and Alpharetta.
"This naming opportunity for our Convocation Center is the next step in strengthening our nationally recognized brand with a corporate partner who shares our vision for community engagement, urban development and economic impact," said L. Jared Abramson, Georgia State's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Georgia State is Atlanta's university. If you know Atlanta, you know Georgia State!"
To lead this significant initiative, Georgia State has tasked Van Wagner, a nationally recognized leader in college athletics marketing and naming rights, to identify the university's inaugural naming rights partner. Van Wagner has a long-standing agreement with Georgia State Athletics as their multimedia rights partner and played a key role in securing the current naming rights agreement for Center Parc Credit Union Stadium, the home of Panthers football.
"We are proud to partner with Georgia State University on this exciting naming rights opportunity for the Convocation Center," said Mike Palisi, president of Van Wagner College. "This collaboration represents a shared vision to deepen the university's connection with the Atlanta community and enhance the experience for students, fans and eventgoers alike. The Convocation Center stands as a gateway to Georgia State's continued growth — athletically, academically and economically — and we're honored to help deliver a naming rights partner that aligns with the university's values and future aspirations."
The GSU Convocation Center has quickly become a cornerstone for Georgia State, hosting nationally televised basketball games, high-profile university events and community-driven programming that extends the university's reach beyond campus.
Georgia State University is a national leader in student success, and U.S. News and World Report has ranked it as the No. 1 public institution for undergraduate teaching for the past five years and a top 5 most innovative institution for 10 years and counting. As the naming rights partner, a brand would benefit from significant visibility across both collegiate athletics and university-wide platforms.
For more information about the GSU Convocation Center naming rights opportunity, contact Georgia State Athletics or Van Wagner.
About Georgia State University
Georgia State University, located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, is one of the nation's premier urban research institutions. With more than 52,000 students across six campuses, Georgia State is nationally recognized for its commitment to student success, innovation in higher education and groundbreaking research. The university's diverse and inclusive community prepares students for leadership in a global society.
About Georgia State Athletics
Georgia State Athletics sponsors 16 NCAA Division I varsity sports and is a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference. With a mission centered around excellence in academics, athletics and community engagement, Georgia State student-athletes consistently perform at a high level both on the field and in the classroom. The Panthers compete in premier venues across Atlanta, including Center Parc Stadium and the GSU Convocation Center.
About Van Wagner
Van Wagner is a leading sports advertising and entertainment agency, with global expertise in live events, sponsorship sales, multimedia rights and aerial advertising. Van Wagner creates, advises and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands and properties. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA and international soccer, sponsorships sales, college multimedia rights and in-venue content production at the world's biggest sporting events. For more information, visit www.vanwagner.com.
