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FARGO-The Minnesota United pro soccer team and Fargo-based Bell Bank have announced a 10-year partnership that involves naming a gate after the bank and providing charity money to players to give away after each game.

Under the agreement announced Tuesday, April 17, the southwest gate at the team's new Allianz Field stadium under construction in St. Paul along Interstate 94 will be named "Bell Bank Gate."

The partnership also involves the growing regional bank giving $1,000 for each home and away game to the United player of the game or "Man of the Match." The player, selected by fans, will then give the money away to his favorite charity.

Bell Bank also kicked off the program by giving $10,000 to goalkeeper Matt Lampson's LampStrong Foundation, which supports children fighting cancer.

This charity giving is similar to Bell Bank's "Pay It Forward" initiative, where each full-time employee once a year is given $1,000 and each part-timer $500 to give back to their communities through charity donations.

The bank will also join the team's recently launched L'Etoile Du Nord program that will recognize community leaders from the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota region who embody the core values of the club and will be honored at halftime of each home match this season. L'Etoile Du Nord is a French phrase meaning "The Star of the North" and is Minnesota's state motto.

The club defines its core values as being resilient, inclusive and dedicated while valuing passion, teamwork and respect.

Bell Bank President and CEO Michael Solberg in an interview said those values fit right in with Bell Bank's goal of making a positive impact in communities.

"We found a lot of similarities and a kinship when we discussed becoming partners," Solberg said, noting they both have private ownership teams and a goal of making a difference in their communities in a positive way.

He also said besides the two big-name banks in the Twin Cities, US Bank and Wells Fargo, there are about 25 other banking organizations seeking to gain a bigger foothold in the fast-growing, competitive Twin Cities market.

Solberg believes working with Minnesota United and what he thinks will be a growing fan base and brand across the region will be a plus.

He also said having the bank's name on the "world-class facility" set to open in 2019 along Interstate 94 near the Minneapolis-St. Paul border will give them some excellent exposure.

Solberg said they have long been associated with local and college sports, but this is their first adventure in joining a pro sports franchise.

Bell Bank joins Allianz Life, Target and Allina Health as the first team partners of Minnesota United, also called the Loons.

Bell Bank has 21 banks across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Arizona and is the 12th largest privately held bank in the nation. The bank employs about 1,100 workers.