Now it really is The Barn

Gopher basketball fans have long called Williams Arena "The Barn", given the cavernous setting and helped along by a student section called the "barnyard."

Now, the moniker is part of the building's official name.

And so is a whole lot of money.

It's "The Barn by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota," as per a naming rights deal announced on Friday between the U-of-M and the insurance carrier.

Not only will the Gopher athletic department get $17 million over the ten-year length of the deal, the program will retain the historic facility at a time when many believe the nearly century-old facility is outdated.

"The Barn is one of the most historic and well-known venues in all of college sports, and we are excited for this partnership and the positive impact it will have on the entire state," said Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle, long an advocate for preserving the arena.

Built in 1927, the facility with the famous raised floor was originally known as the Minnesota Field House.

It was named after Henry L. Williams, who was Gopher football coach from 1900 to 1921.

There is a football connection with The Barn; the court could be removed to make room for indoor football practices.

The renaming came in 1950, when the building was divided into two arenas, one for basketball and one for ice hockey.

It was during that time that capacity on the basketball side was more than 18,000, then the largest of any on-campus arena.

When new Mariucci Arena opened in 1993, the old hockey side was turned into a 5,700-seat pavilion for women's basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, and volleyball.

The basketball side's capacity has been reduced to 14,625, but there is now "barn loft" seating high above the court, and a large club on the side facing Huntington Bank Stadium.

The electric atmosphere of The Barn was on full display last spring, when packed houses cheered on the Gopher women's basketball team in two NCAA tournament victories.

But with many schools building modern arenas, The Barn has been scrutinized because of its narrow concourses and lack of amenities such as a food court or restaurants.

There has been recent talk of upgrading The Barn, which is the next move after securing the naming rights deal.