Learfield, the multimedia rights holder that has partnerships with more than 100 colleges, has agreed with Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal/Daily to title sponsor the annual Intercollegiate Athletics Forum in New York.
This week’s announcement of Learfield’s title sponsorship comes at a time when the Plano, Texas, company is introducing a new brand identity and company mark. The new logo features a pennant over the Learfield name, signifying the company’s deep involvement in college athletics for more than 40 years.
“This is right down the middle of the fairway of the kinds of events in which we want to be engaged,” Learfield President and CEO Greg Brown said of the new deal to sponsor the conference. “It is always our mission to elevate the discussion of college athletics in a productive way.”
The 2016 event will be held Dec. 7-8 at the Marriott Marquis. IMG College previously had served as the event’s title sponsor.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Learfield, a diverse multimedia enterprise and well-respected leader in college sports,” said Richard Weiss, publisher of SportsBusiness Journal/Daily. “With our partner Learfield and the editorial and production team we have in place here at the Journal and Daily, I know we will elevate the Forum to an even higher level of thought leadership.”
The conference launched in 2002 and has become the largest annual conference focused on the business of college sports with a speaker list that ranges from NCAA President Mark Emmert to university presidents, conference commissioners, athletic directors and other highly influential figures who shape college athletics.
“I appreciate Learfield’s sponsorship of this annual, high-profile forum on intercollegiate athletics, and it’s consistent with the company’s support of collegiate programs,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. “There are many vital issues that need to be discussed and it’s important that conversations like this are facilitated.”
Brad Traviolia, deputy commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, added: “This is a wise investment that Learfield is making to further the company’s partnership with college athletics, as a whole, and specifically to help tell the story of how intercollegiate athletics is contributing to future success for student athletes.”
Learfield’s new brand identity is being unveiled this week after months of consulting with Ed O’Hara at New York-based SME Branding.
“We are really proud of this new look,” Brown said. “It’s fresh, clean and forward looking, and we believe it evokes the excitement we all have for college athletics.”
The color of the pennant can be matched with a school’s color, making its usage more flexible.
“This is a fresh new identity and its design works so well with each institutional brand,” Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione said.
