LOGAN — Aggie football fans who turned out for Saturday’s Blue-White spring game walked into Romney Stadium but walked out of Maverik Stadium.

Just prior to the scrimmage, Utah State officials announced a naming rights partnership with Maverik convenience stores to a select group of boosters, alumni and members of the media, then made the name change official at halftime in front of an estimated 9,000 fans in the stands.

Now officially known as Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium, the football venue originally built in 1968 will almost immediately undergo a huge renovation that will include the construction of a four-story press box and premium seating structure on the west side of the stadium.

The facility will include media and game operations area, 24 luxury suites, 20 loge boxes, more than 700 covered club seats and a premium club area that will also house a training table for USU’s 400 student-athletes. In addition, the project will upgrade restroom facilities and concessions, enlarge the concourse area and include new video boards on the north and south ends of the stadium.

“The Maverik brand, their values and vision for growth in the Mountain West region is an ideal fit for Utah State University,” USU athletic director Scott Barnes said. “This new partnership is a catalyst for our stadium renovation initiative, which will commence immediately with the demolition of the west side press box and a portion of the west side seating. Further, this partnership assists in ensuring the already promising future of our football program and the enhanced fan experience.”

Joining Barnes in speaking at the pre-spring game event was USU President Stan Albrecht, Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson and Maverik, Inc. CEO Tom Welch.

As a biplane flew overhead pulling a banner that declares “Maverik loves Utah State” on one side and “Utah State loves Maverik” on the other side, Albrecht described the partnership between USU and Maverik as “a whirlwind romance” that first started to come together in early February.

“It was also probably the worst-kept secret,” Albrecht admitted. “We really did want to sort of reveal something to you today, but the last vestiges of any opportunity to do that disappeared when that airplane started flying over.”

Maverik, which has also had its name and corporate logo attached to the former E Center in West Valley since 2010, will operate a concession outlet at the stadium that will sell Maverik proprietary food products. Neither Utah State nor Maverik revealed the length of the contract or the amount of money involved, but USU's press release stated it is “a multi-year agreement, which includes top-tier advertising rights and prominent signage on the exterior and interior of the stadium.”

Maverik currently operates more than 250 locations in 10 different Western states.

“The entire Maverik team is honored to continue our partnership with Utah State University and link our name to its iconic stadium,” Welch said. “As a community-centered business, we are committed to supporting and promoting our state’s universities' athletic programs, and this opportunity with USU was our way to connect with the Aggies’ student body, alumni and Cache Valley as a whole. The new Maverik Stadium will proudly uphold the venue’s outstanding reputation in the intermountain West.”

Of course, taking on a new name for USU’s stadium meant doing away with the old name, which honored Aggie coaching legend E. Lowell “Dick” Romney. The longest-tenured head football coach, head basketball coach and athletic director in Utah State history, Romney coached football from 1919-48 and basketball from 1920-41. In addition, he also served as the head track and field coach for 24 years and coached baseball for three seasons.

Barnes said that he talked to Romney’s grandson, Richard Romney, about “the necessity that if we were going to move football, and ultimately, our athletic program forward, we would need to create some new funding sources to do that.”

In a statement, Richard Romney said, “The renaming of Romney Stadium is a little bittersweet, but our family realizes that to be competitive and relevant in today’s sports world, you need to have the financial backing of corporate America. The Romney family has the desire for Utah State football to continue to grow and be successful and we strongly believe that this stadium project will go a long way to secure the future of the program, and will also make for a better fan experience.

“What grandpa accomplished at Utah State will never be duplicated in today’s society. We know his name will remain prominent and continue to have a strong legacy at Utah State. His story will not be forgotten.”

The first game at Romney Stadium was played on Sept. 14, 1968, when USU defeated New Mexico State, 28-12. It was officially dedicated on Sept. 27, 1969, and the Aggies are 130-98 all-time in games played at Romney Stadium.

“Understand this, Dick Romney’s legacy will continue, and it will continue in a big way inside of Maverik Stadium,” Barnes declared.