PLANO, Texas – Featuring the tag line, “How Business Goes to School,” collegiate marketer Learfield has formally unveiled its newest operating unit, named Campus+. The new service is creating broad strategic business relationships on behalf of many of its university partners.

The university-wide partnerships are being created by Learfield’s dedicated Campus+ team and are specifically designed to align the core university academic and administrative initiatives with those of potential corporate partners. Together, the synergies can be unprecedented for both.

main-logo-w-tag“In my opinion, strategic partnership deals at the campus level across the entire university and at the university system level is absolutely the future,” said Colorado State University System Executive Vice Chancellor Amy Parsons. Colorado State has been a Learfield athletic partner for years and has already benefited from Learfield’s Campus+ efforts. “We’re moving in the direction of doing much more sophisticated and comprehensive deals,” said Parsons. “I personally appreciate and rely on Learfield’s ability to bring in C-level executives in to meet with me and the Chancellor when the time is right. Not even just when we’re putting a deal together but just to build relationships; for when the time is right, we know we know one another, and I know that Learfield’s got our best interest at heart.”

Andy Rawlings, Learfield’s executive vice president and chief revenue officer, added that “Our unique understanding of a corporate partner’s ability and desire to collaborate on critical university initiatives strongly positions our university partners to achieve their objectives. We recognize that nothing of this magnitude has ever been done before in our space, and we’re moving full speed ahead with the sole intent of deepening the relationships between our corporate clients and our university partners.”

Learfield’s goal for Campus+ is to transform traditional, collegiate corporate and vendor relationships into deeper, more integrated partnerships that are mutually beneficial. Campus+ is led by Senior Vice President Mark Devine. “For over a decade, we’ve been encouraged by our corporate clients and university partners to be even more creative in our partnerships. The synergy that exists across multiple platforms is the key to long-term successful partnerships,” said Devine.

In addition to Colorado State, University of Louisville has engaged with rightsholder Learfield on campus-wide initiatives and recognizes the synergies. Both of these universities are among the more than 20 Learfield partners involved with a strategic Campus+ and Office Depot relationship launching this month.

“We need those relationships at the highest levels between these partners and us. Now the work is in making sure that the agreements that we have produce the desired results – and on that front, Learfield’s been right alongside us, helping us make sure that the partnership delivers as expected,” said U of L Senior Vice President, CFO/COO Harlan Sands. “Having Learfield there, to work with us in building these relationships, is critical.”

In addition to helping to negotiate attractive financial terms for the institutions, Campus+ works with corporate clients to develop new ways to market their goods and services, often in the context of providing those services to the university. Additionally, those relationships often include internships, scholarships, job placements and other involvement with the school in ways that directly benefit students.

“Without a doubt, the services we provide our schools through Campus+ are fortified by the decades of experience we’ve acquired while creating sponsorship opportunities within collegiate athletics. In a similar way, our ability to bring business to campus in new ways that support the academic mission of the school, will result in value for students,” noted Rawlings.

Design work to create the Campus+ brand was handled by SME, the branding agency recently added to its stable of business services.

An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide. It manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for more than 120 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; licensing and trademark consulting; digital and social platform expertise; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies.