Ariat International is putting its name where its roots are. The Western footwear brand is partnering with the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (FWSSR) to rename the 14,000-seat former Dickie’s Arena as the Ariat Arena.
The 10-year naming rights partnership also designates Ariat as the official and exclusive partner for Western wear and work wear and boots for the arena, which hosts a variety of events celebrating Western heritage and tradition as well as concerts and major sports events including NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament rounds.
“Seeing our name on the arena, the home of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, is a milestone in our journey as a company, and we owe so much of that to the riders, ranchers, and fans who have been with us from the start,” says Beth Cross, co-founder and executive chair of the board of directors for Ariat, a longtime corporate sponsor of the FWSSR and a brand with deep roots in Western product .
Ariat’s roots in the Fort Worth community run equally deep. The brand opened regional headquarters here in 2020, and followed with a flagship store in Mule Alley in the Fort Worth Stockyards in 2022. A $70 million expansion of the headquarters announced in 2025 is expected to create 250 new local jobs.
“Fort Worth has played a huge part in Ariat’s growth,” says Liz O’Neill, CEO of Ariat. “Putting our name on this iconic arena is the next chapter.”
Under the partnership, Ariat and nonprofit Trail Drive Management Corp.— which manages the arena and the adjacent Will Rogers Memorial Center—will also establish a charitable giving program to support Fort Worth–area organizations.
The name change takes effect immediately, with permanent signs to be installed in time for the January 2027 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, the event’s 130th anniversary.
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