Georgia Tech Hires The Aspire Group To Handle Ticket Sales
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The Aspire Group Will Handle Ticket Sales For
Georgia Tech Football And Men's Basketball |
Georgia Tech has hired Massachusetts-based sports marketing agency The Aspire Group to "handle ticket sales for football and men's basketball in what is believed to be the first case of a university outsourcing its ticket operations, a move that could start a significant trend as schools look to outsource more athletic department business," according to Lombardo & Smith of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The Aspire Group is run by former Atlanta Spirit CEO Bernie Mullin. The multi-year deal "includes an assessment period for both sides." Georgia Tech AD Dan Radakovich said, "We're not doing a massive radio or TV campaign, we're not going to advertise in the newspaper." Aspire has hired Bobcats Manager of Inside Sales Bill Fagan as GM to "set up a full-time sales staff of 15 to 20 people who will work from Georgia Tech's downtown Atlanta campus." Georgia Tech "will set the ticket prices and plans," while Aspire "will handle new full and partial season-ticket sales and renewals, and begin selling tickets by mid-June." Aspire "will not sell the premium seating for the university." Radakovich "stopped short of calling" the deal a "complete operational outsourcing because the department will maintain two administrators in its ticket office mainly to handle correspondence." But it is "clear from talking to ticket managers and university administrators across the country that the school is breaking new ground by outsourcing its ticket sales" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 5/25 issue).
BOTTOM LINE: In Atlanta, Chip Towers reports the deal is "projected to be worth as much as $2.2[M] to the athletics department." Georgia Tech "will pay the Aspire Group a projected management fee of $85,000 for the 2009-10 seasons, based upon a percentage of increased ticket sales." That fee is "projected to reach $160,000 by the final year of the agreement." Georgia Tech Associate AD/PR Wayne Hogan said that the school "projects a profit of $466,000 the first year in new ticket sales, $727,000 in the second year and $1,045,000 the third year" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/28).
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