New Ulm High School Phy Ed teacher Stef Dietz stands in the school’s gymnasium which is currently setup for badminton. By the start of the 2025/2026 school year it will be renamed “Allina Health Gymnasium.” In exchange for the naming rights, Allina would reduce the cost for athletic trainer fees over the next 10 years. Photo by Clay Schuldt

NEW ULM – The New Ulm High School gymnasium will officially be known as the Allina Health Gymnasium.

The New Ulm school board unanimously approved a contract with Allina Health, granting naming rights in exchange for in kind athletic trainer fees.

In March, the school board was informed athletic trainer fees were rapidly rising. Allina Health’s annual athletic trainer fees were $2,915 for the 2022-23 school year, are $20,000 this school year, and were set to rise to $31,500 next year.

For around 30 years, New Ulm Medical Center’s Sports Medicine and Orthopedics Team provided athletic training services to the school. For a time, these services were offered for free but as New Ulm Medical Center saw increased financial pressures, the school was asked to pay a percentage of the fee.

Initially, New Ulm Public Schools were asked to pay 8-10% of the cost for athletic trainer services. For this school year, the school paid 50% of the cost. Next year, Allina was going to ask the school to pay 80% of the cost.

In April, the school and Allina Health reached a tentative agreement to reduce the athletic training service costs through naming rights.

The contract would rename the gym “Allina Health Gymnasium” and would include signage with the new name. One Allina Health Gymnasium sign would be placed above each of the two main gymnasium entrances. Two sets of Allina Health Gymnasium graphic would be installed on the main gym floor – one on each side.

The contract specified that all programs of sporting events held in the gym feature the phrase “Our athletes are proudly supported by New Ulm Medical Center’s Sports Medicine and Orthopedics Team.”

Allina agrees to pay up to $5,000 toward the creation and installation of the signage.

Koster said the floor work alone would cost $4,000.

“This is one of the ways we are working together to get this done,” Koster said. “It definitely is a community venture that has benefits on all sides.”

The in-kind donation from Allina for naming rights is valued at $131,835 over 10 years. The first year is valued at $11,500 with a 3% annual increase each year.

The time line for redoing the gym floor has changed to accommodate the new signage. The signs in the gym floors will likely be installed in August.

“I am really excited about this,” Koster said. “I think it is a good partnership because it cuts off $11,000 to $15,000 a year.”