SAN FRANCISCO – Pac-12 Networks and SIDEARM Sports have agreed to a multi-year partnership to provide a unified platform to power the Conference member universities’ official athletic sites, it was announced today. With the agreement, SIDEARM and Pac-12 Networks will foster innovation across a common technology platform with an aggregated audience on mobile and web.
The agreement enables Pac-12 Networks to package all digital video inventory of the official athletic sites and a share of display inventory. Ownership and control of this inventory provides Pac-12 Networks more flexibility to package digital assets with media and Conference assets for sponsors and advertisers.
The universities’ official athletic sites represent an essential connection for the fans, providing important information and the most in-depth coverage about their favorite universities and student-athletes. In addition, the sites offer key touch points with fans for ticketing, video content, news, development and recruiting.
“We are excited to work with SIDEARM to strengthen our unified platform while giving our schools the tools to better connect with their fans and celebrate their individual brands,” said David Aufhauser, Vice President of Pac-12 Digital. “With this agreement, we are in a great position to leverage an innovative, video centric digital platform across all of our Pac-12 Networks assets.”
SIDEARM’s mobile friendly publishing platform offers maximum flexibility and delivers an innovative set of tools, including HD streaming, fan database aggregation, social platform integration, snapshot graphics and data visualization, all designed to create the most customized and engaging fan experience for each university.
“SIDEARM prides itself on delivering an easy-to-use content management system to provide custom digital solutions to our college and university partners. Being selected by the PAC-12 to provide these mission-critical services to the conference member universities is an honor and further validation of the services we provide,” said Jeff Rubin, President and CEO for SIDEARM Sports. “Clearly the Pac-12 schools are outstanding brands in the collegiate landscape, and we’re excited to work with the league and be the new provider for its members, showcasing some incredible ways they can speak to their fans.”
The SIDEARM platform will roll out to 11 of 12 Pac-12 universities at the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year, with USC coming on the platform in June 2017.
About Pac-12 Networks
Pac-12 Networks is the innovative TV and multimedia company of the Pac-12 Conference, and is the first such company to be wholly owned by 12 universities. Pac-12 Networks incorporates one national and six regional television networks, plus extensive digital content accessible through social media, university websites, and Pac-12 Now, its TV Everywhere service. Each year, Pac-12 Networks offers live coverage of 850 sporting events, making it one of the top live sports producers in the country. In addition, Pac-12 Networks creates extensive original programming, provides visibility for marquee football and basketball events as well as traditionally under-served women’s and Olympic sports. Pac-12 Networks also provides training and paid internships for thousands of students of the Pac-12’s member universities, preparing them for careers in media. With headquarters in San Francisco’s SOMA District, Pac-12 Networks draws on the creative, entrepreneurial, and technological culture of the Bay Area and nearby Silicon Valley. For more information, go to https://pac-12.com/networks
About SIDEARM Sports
SIDEARM Sports, a Learfield company, is the nation’s leading digital provider serving more than 850 partners. Based in Syracuse, N.Y., SIDEARM Sports was founded in 1998 by Jeff Rubin, who continues to lead the business. Clients applaud SIDEARM for its service, reliability and customization, and its easy-to-use interface allows schools to customize their content streams and digital presence. As a leader in collegiate athletic web solutions, SIDEARM Sports provides the software and technology that powers websites, mobile applications, live stats, social presence and video streaming for its school and conference partners. To learn more about the company’s capabilities and its complete collegiate portfolio, visit www.sidearmsports.com.