Jaguars' stadium to be called TIAA Bank Field

The Jacksonville Jaguars' home stadium will have a new name prior the 2018 season, the team announced on Friday.

The name EverBank Field, which debuted in 2010, will be changed to TIAA Bank Field by the start of the preseason. Jacksonville-based EverBank Financial Corp. was acquired last year for $2.5 billion by TIAA, a financial services provider headquartered in New York.

"We're excited for our relationship with EverBank to not only continue, but grow under the new name of TIAA Bank," Jaguars president Mark Lamping said in a statement. "They have been a fantastic corporate partner for many years, sharing our mutual commitment to the betterment of the First Coast community. We're grateful for their long-term commitment to the Jaguars and to the city of Jacksonville."

The stadium has previously been called Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and Alltel Stadium since it was built on the site of the old Gator Bowl.

The stadium also hosts the annual Florida-Georgia game and an annual bowl game.

The Jaguars announced earlier in the week that they are removing the tarps that cover four sections of the field to meet an increased demand for tickets after the team's surprising run to the AFC Championship Game last season. The addition of 3,501 seats will bring the stadium's new capacity to 69,132.

The average season-ticket price will increase by an average of 10.9 percent, the team said.