ISP Pulls Down Ads Following Subpoenas From New York AG

ISP Sports has removed ads selling student loans on college athletic Web sites after the New York attorney general subpoenaed 40 athletic departments “for information about their relationship with University Financial Services,” according to Mike Knobler of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. ISP spokesperson John Justus said UFS “voluntarily agreed to temporarily suspend operations under the sponsorship agreement.” The investigation is “looking for possible kickbacks, in which an athletics department would receive money based on the number of referrals or the number of loans its relationship generated for UFS.” But a statement said the investigation also centered on “how athletic departments are using school team names, mascots, colors and logos, to imply that UFS is the school’s official lender.” Justus said that UFS “had assured ISP it was a legal marketing agreement.” ISP arranges marketing deals for 14 of the subpoenaed schools (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/3).

SUBPOENAED SCHOOLS: TCU and Indiana State have suspended associations with UFS (USA TODAY, 8/3). Indiana State’s deal was secured through Nelligan Sports Marketing (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/3). Youngstown State Special Assistant to the President Tom Maraffa, whose school also brokered its deal through Nelligan, said that it "received a one-time payment of $2,000" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 8/3).