PLANO, Texas – Learfield Sports and the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) announced today the alignment of their two organizations in what will be an industry first for minority talent in the collegiate industry.

The five-day Learfield Sports Minority Academy will be held annually, in partnership with MOAA, for the specific purpose of fostering minority growth and development in the collegiate multimedia and sponsorship sector through both a classroom educational session and practical experience. Enrollment criteria, timing and other procedures will be announced in the coming months, with the inaugural Academy slated for spring 2014.

The classroom portion will consist of two and a half days of sales training, best practices and professional development designed for Learfield Sports’ sellers. Candidates will have the opportunity the final two days of the academy to shadow sales staff at a Learfield Sports’ Division I collegiate property. This will enable the candidates to be engaged in an environment where they can take a close look at the day-to-day operations of Learfield Sports’ multimedia rights relationships.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to cooperate with MOAA in this important endeavor,” said Learfield’s Executive Vice President Roger Gardner. “This program will not only provide minority candidates with the opportunity to experience the collegiate multimedia and sponsorship sales business, but it will also introduce us to potential colleagues as we continue to build a more diverse company.”

“This is an outstanding opportunity for our MOAA members! The combination of sales and business training that will be gained in the LearfieldSportsMinorityAcademy will make a significant impact on many minority administrators’ careers in the near future,” said University of Wisconsin Deputy Athletics Director and MOAA Immediate Past President Sean Frazier.

The mission of MOAA is to provide opportunities to exchange ideas, advocate increased participation and administrative opportunities for minorities in athletics. MOAA also promotes generating a sports culture that supports the values necessary to teach and learn respect for self and others.

Learfield Sports, which manages multimedia rights for more than 50 collegiate institutions and associations, also titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with co- founders NACDA and USA Today. 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. Learfield Sports’ exclusive sports programming reaches more than 50 million television households nationally and delivers nearly 17,000 hours of radio programming on more than 1,100 radio stations. For more about the company, its collegiate portfolio and 40-year history, visit www.learfieldsports.com.