COLLEGE STATION — Collegiate multi-media marketing, partnerships and sponsorships will be redefined under a new agreement announced today between Texas A&M University and Learfield Sports, the University’s current athletics multi-media partner. The announcement was made by Texas A&M President Michael K. Young.
The new agreement, which is subject to final contract negotiation, will be far-reaching in scope and will integrate corporate partnership engagement and sponsorships through athletics, academics and the entire campus. With a total enrollment of 64,600 students, Texas A&M is one of the largest universities in the country and also boasts one of the top overall athletics programs that competes in the prestigious Southeastern Conference.
Since 2006, Learfield has operated Texas A&M Sports Properties, which has marketed corporate sponsorships connected solely with the Texas A&M Athletics Department. Under the new 10-year agreement, which is set to officially take effect July 1, 2016, Learfield will reorganize and significantly enlarge its Texas A&M-based staff to maximize not only athletics opportunities, but the broader scope of campus-wide responsibilities.
“I am very pleased with the thoughtful process that has led us to a terrific outcome for Texas A&M,” said Young. “There was a great deal of collaborative ideation that took place between our university selection committee and the senior leadership of Learfield, including Greg Brown. The size and scope of this new agreement will provide Texas A&M with many valuable benefits that will support our academic mission and service to our students and the people of Texas.”
Plans call for the creation of a strategically focused team who will work with Texas A&M to develop new ways to work with business partners. The new entity will create and develop business partnerships that not only apply to athletics but also to the broader scope of the Texas A&M campus community.
“Businesses, many of whom are current partners of Texas A&M Athletics, have a desire to form deeper relationships with the University,” said Greg Brown, President and CEO of Learfield. “These companies recognize the power of the 12th Man. Texas A&M is unique and is rich in tradition. Those are attributes that are very attractive and will result in greater investment and resources for Texas A&M.”
“We are extremely appreciative to Learfield for our longstanding relationship and their ongoing work in helping build the Texas A&M brand. We are not done, however, and we truly see this enhanced, campus-wide relationship as redefining the traditional multi-media rights space,” said Texas A&M Director of Athletics Eric Hyman. “I’m confident this new partnership with Learfield will prove to be very beneficial for Texas A&M, as we leverage the collective opportunities and resources housed in athletics with our partners across the University.”
Final terms of the agreement, including financial benefits to the University, will be announced upon completion of negotiations and execution of the contract.
About Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is one of the largest and most diversified institutions of higher learning in the nation, with a record enrollment of more than 60,000 students. As one of the world’s leading research institutions, with expenditures of more than $854 million, Texas A&M is conducting cutting-edge research that is changing lives worldwide and helping to stimulate the Texas economy. One of a select few institutions to hold triple federal designation as a land-, sea- and space-grant university, Texas A&M develops leaders of character dedicated to serving the greater good.
About Learfield Sports
Learfield Sports is a leader in collegiate sports marketing. In addition to managing multimedia and sponsorship rights for 120 collegiate programs, Learfield titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with award co-founders NACDA and USA Today. Representing collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas for their respective rights and sponsorship initiatives, Learfield offers these partners with professional concessions and ticket sales, licensing and trademark consulting, digital platform expertise and venue and technology systems through its owned companies. To learn more about its history, businesses and job opportunities, visit www.learfieldsports.com.
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Media contacts:
Texas A&M University
Media contact: Shane Hinckley, Interim Vice President, Division of Marketing & Communications, at (979) 458-1729 or shane.hinckley@tamu.edu
Jason Cook, Senior Associate Athletics Director External Affairs, at (979) 450-2362 or jcook@athletics.tamu.edu
Learfield Sports
Media Contact: Jennifer Duncan, Spokesperson, at (469) 767-8324 or jduncan@learfieldsports.com