PLANO, Texas – On the heels of acquiring Nelligan Sports Marketing, bolstering its collegiate portfolio to more than 90 properties, Learfield Sports announced today that it will represent the Temple University Owls for the next 10 years.
Beginning with the upcoming 2014-‘15 athletic season, Learfield will assume the Owls’ comprehensive multimedia rights and establish a local entity, Temple Sports Properties, to work with the university’s athletics administration and corporate sponsors of the Owl program.
Learfield Sports has already begun vetting staff for its Temple Sports Properties team, which will manage every aspect of the Owls’ rights including signage, sponsorships, corporate hospitality, event marketing, play-by-play radio, television and radio coaches’ shows, and official athletic website advertising.
“Temple University Athletics is excited to have a prestigious company such as Learfield Sports representing our media rights for the next decade,” said Temple University Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin Clark. “We went through an exhaustive evaluation process, examining proposals from different firms, and Learfield Sports distinguished itself with a comprehensive plan to help continue to grow the Temple brand on a local, regional and national stage. We liked their approach to the business and the support systems they provide their sales staffs. This is a critical step in the overall growth of Temple Athletics.”
“Kevin has done a terrific job leading Temple Athletics, and we are fortunate to have an opportunity to work with him and his team,” said Learfield Sports President/CEO Greg Brown whose company also represents other American Athletic Conference members SMU, Memphis and Tulsa. “When we had a chance to sit down and discuss the future of Temple Athletics, Kevin’s vision was one that excited us and one that we felt fit with our properties. We’re honored to now represent the Temple program.”
In addition to its core multimedia rights business, Learfield Sports has a collegiate ticket sales joint venture with IMG College, IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions, and also works with Levy Restaurants to provide colleges with premium concessions services. The company also titles the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with co-founders NACDA and USA Today and will host the inaugural Learfield Sports Minority Academy with MOAA in Dallas, May 19-23. The company’s multimedia rights encompass numerous content distribution platforms to deliver the passion of college athletics across radio, television and digital networks to fans globally. For more about its 40-year history and collegiate portfolio, visit www.learfieldsports.com.
Temple is a vital institution in the Philadelphia region and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, contributing more than $3 billion toward Pennsylvania’s economy each year. The university also has a strong global reach, with long-standing and vibrant campuses in Tokyo and Rome and programs in London, Beijing and other locations worldwide, and nearly 300,000 alumni living around the world. Temple University is a public four-year research university and a national leader in education, research and health care. Founded by Dr. Russell H. Conwell in 1884, Temple’s official motto—Perseverantia Vincit, “Perseverance Conquers”—reflects its students’ drive to succeed and commitment to excellence. Learn more about Temple University at www.temple.edu/about.