Learfield and IMG College to Merge

[Cerebus]

SBD: Learfield, IMG College Close To Merger, Reshaping College Space

Quote

The move will create the most dramatic consolidation of the fragmented collegiate industry by bringing the multimedia rights to 200 schools under one banner for the first time. Until now, a brand that wanted a truly national college sponsorship had to execute multiple contracts across different agencies because rights were splintered among six major rights holders, Learfield and IMG College being the two largest. Merging the two businesses will create the closest thing to a one-stop shop the college space has ever seen and, theoretically, make the unified company a much more effective sales engine for college sports. 

 

In case you are wondering why this is important to us:

NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN, LEARFIELD ESTABLISH LONG-TERM MULTIMEDIA RIGHTS PARTNERSHIP

Quote

The University of North Texas Mean Green will outsource its comprehensive multimedia rights for the first time in school history, selecting Learfield as its exclusive athletics rights partner for the next 10 years. The joint announcement was made today by UNT Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker and Learfield President and CEO Greg Brown.

 

[dmaxel]

Seems like a good thing, no? Only downside I could see is that they have to split their attention among those 200 schools.

[MeanGreen_MBA]

Brilliant move by WB it seems....

[Cerebus]

3 minutes ago, dmaxel said:

Seems like a good thing, no? Only downside I could see is that they have to split their attention among those 200 schools.

Simplest way to think of it:

Learfield pays us X and gets our media rights for Y years.   Learfield sells the media rights anyway it can.  They keep any amount over X, but we get a percentage Z of that amount.

 

The X is $5M, the Y is 10 years, the Z% is unknown to me.

4 minutes ago, MeanGreen_MBA said:

Brilliant move by WB it seems....

If the consolidation makes the advertising learfield more desirable, it should increase the price they can charge.  That in turn should lead to more money over the X amount they paid us, so our Z% totals more.  

We'll see how it all works out.

[UNTFan23]

9 minutes ago, dmaxel said:

Seems like a good thing, no? Only downside I could see is that they have to split their attention among those 200 schools.

I'm sure there are account managers that "maintain" a certain number of schools. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

Hmm.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

2 hours ago, UNTFan23 said:

I'm sure there are account managers that "maintain" a certain number of schools. 

Dont know about the others schools relationships and what their deals include, but i do know North Texas has a dedicated account manager that works for Learfield but is based out of the Athletic Center and works exclusively with/for North Texas selling our advertising rights.

[UNTFan23]

6 minutes ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

Dont know about the others schools relationships and what their deals include, but i do know North Texas has a dedicated account manager that works for Learfield but is based out of the Athletic Center and works exclusively with/for North Texas selling our advertising rights.

Even better that NT has a dedicated member from Learfield working in the AD office.

[MGNation92]

13 minutes ago, GreenN'walinsVet said:

Dont know about the others schools relationships and what their deals include, but i do know North Texas has a dedicated account manager that works for Learfield but is based out of the Athletic Center and works exclusively with/for North Texas selling our advertising rights.

Yeah I always see them yucking it up with other AD employees at the coaches show.

[KRAM1]

4 hours ago, MGNation92 said:

Yeah I always see them yucking it up with other AD employees at the coaches show.

You come to the Coaches show? Great. Why not come by and say hi. I sit on the front row..."older guy"...crew cut. Hope to say "hi" this evening.

Edit: 👍👍

Edited September 19, 2017 by KRAM1

[97and03]

 

[aztecskin]

 

I wonder if NT switches back to IMG after this considering everything. 

 

[outoftown]

If they are so big now, I wonder if they will be using this as leverage when negotiating with mid-major programs, saying: accept worse conditions or go with someone much smaller, while at the same time pushing competition out of shops and out of working with thier producers. Maybe my view is bit very pessimistic though.

Also I am somewhat confused by this thread: Is NT now long term with Learfield or not? Or is Learfield sponsoring NT, but NT actually gets its licensing from someone else (Affinity)? I seem to remember that radio keeps mentioning Learfield on basketball games. Or has the Learfield connection been fully taken down?

[djohnnie]

On 12/31/2018 at 10:28 AM, 97and03 said:

Anyone for Apogee stadium at Learfield Field? Hmmmm