CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The Patriot League and Learfield Sports have agreed to extend their comprehensive marketing partnership, as announced today by the League’s Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich and Learfield President and CEO Greg Brown.
The collegiate multimedia rights leader was able to solidify an extension with the Patriot League just months following its acquisition of Nelligan Sports Marketing, its former partner. Learfield Sports, with its 40 years in the business, provides increased resources to the Patriot League and an additional boost to its corporate partner platform through Learfield’s dedicated National Sales Division.
“Learfield Sports is a proven leader in this niche space in the world of collegiate athletics, and in a very short amount of time, they have understood our goals and objectives for moving our League forward to best benefit our member institutions and their student-athletes,” said Femovich. “I’m pleased to announce we’re going to continue with Learfield and look forward to what’s ahead.”
In addition to an expansive push from Learfield’s national sales team, the Patriot League allows the company to sell official League sponsors that then have right to use League marks. Learfield Sports’ local entity, Patriot League Sports Properties, also oversees on-site marketing and promotions at all League Championship events, and has access to market all League digital assets including the Patriot League Network, run by Campus Insiders.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to stay on board and represent the Patriot League,” said Brown. “There’s a tremendous amount of opportunities that exist all year long at the League level and for its member institutions, and our corporate sponsorship sales unit, Patriot League Sports Properties, is dedicated to serving the League and driving quality results for this prestigious group.”
Full Patriot League member institutions include American, Army, Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola Maryland and Navy. Associate members include Fordham in football, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in women’s rowing and Georgetown in both football and women’s rowing. Learfield Sports holds individual multimedia rights agreements with Army and Bucknell.
Patriot League member institutions are among the oldest and most prestigious in the nation. Alumni from Patriot League colleges and universities have played a leadership role in the shaping of our country. In the classroom, the Patriot League’s full-member institutions, individually and collectively, consistently rank among the top Division I programs in the NCAA Graduation Rates Report. Since 1998, the Patriot League has ranked first among all Division I conferences offering scholarships in student-athlete graduation rates according to the NCAA Graduation Rates report.
The League finished at the top spot with 96 percent of its teams reporting a graduation rate of 85 percent or higher in the most recent data. In addition, 90 Patriot League teams earned NCAA Academic Performance Program Public Recognition Awards after posting academic progress rate scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports.
Patriot League Sports Properties, a property of Learfield Sports, was established to work closely with Femovich and to specifically drive the corporate partner platform by providing traditional and digital opportunities and marketing, promotional, merchandising and hospitality benefits at championship events and throughout the year.
Learfield Sports manages rights for 99 collegiate properties and titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with award co-founders NACDA and USA Today. Learfield’s multimedia rights encompass numerous content distribution platforms to deliver the passion of college athletics across radio, television and digital networks to fans globally. The company also offers its college partners with licensing and trademark consulting, concessions and hospitality services and professional ticket sales. To learn more, visit learfieldsports.com.