DICK'S and Texas Athletics Ink Exclusive
Multi-Year Sponsorship Featuring Student-Athlete NIL
Opportunities
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 30,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The University of Texas at Austin Athletics and DICK'S
Sporting Goods announced an exclusive multi-year brand sponsorship
that names DICK'S as the "Official Sporting Goods Retailer of the
Texas Longhorns."
In addition to co-branding with the iconic Texas Longhorns logo in DICK'S marketing campaigns,
the sponsorship includes prominent student-athlete influencer
marketing activations through name, image, and likeness (NIL)
collaborations, including game sponsorships across various
Longhorns sports, and activations at Bevo Blvd. The agreement
was secured on behalf of Texas Athletics by its multimedia
rightsholder Longhorn Sports Properties, the locally-based team of
Learfield – the leading media and technology company powering
college athletics.
"We are really excited to sponsor The University of Texas Athletics," said Mark Rooks, VP of Creative, Entertainment &
Sponsorships at DICK'S Sporting Goods. "Austin is home to one of the best fan bases
and some of the most elite athletes in the country. We look forward
to making meaningful connections within the community, celebrating
with Longhorn Nation and working with Texas' student-athletes through a multitude of
different NIL opportunities."
With the agreement, Longhorn student-athletes from various men's
and women's sports will have an opportunity to promote the DICK'S
brand through in-store appearances and unique content on various
social media channels and the Longhorn Network (LHN) streaming
platform.
"DICK'S is the leading sporting goods store in Texas and the United
States with a history of supporting collegiate merchandise
programs through innovative retail concepts, best-in-class product
assortments and creative national and local marketing programs,"
executive senior associate athletics director Drew Martin said. "Now through this sponsorship
with The University of Texas, we are
excited to enhance that relationship and deliver more
Longhorns-branded product to our fan base locally here in
Austin as well as throughout
Texas and the United States."
DICK'S will be featured as the game sponsor on numerous
occasions for Longhorn men's and women's basketball, baseball,
softball and volleyball throughout the remainder of the 2024-25
athletics year and beyond. During Texas Football home games at
Darrell K Royal –Texas Memorial Stadium, DICK'S will serve as the
presenting sponsor of Hook 'Em Herd, a pre-game experience which
gives kids the chance to run the length of Campbell-Williams Field
in front of more than 100,000 Longhorn fans before kickoff,
inspiring younger generations to dream about how sports can change
their lives.
On Texas Football gamedays, on-site activations will allow
DICK'S to connect with students and fans alike on the famed Bevo
Blvd. In the offseason, DICK'S will serve as the presenting sponsor
of the Texas Football Coaches' Clinics for high school coaches
across the state.
"We're thrilled to announce DICK'S Sporting Goods as our
Official Sporting Goods Retailer," said Lucas Motta, Vice President & General
Manager of Longhorn Sports Properties. "DICK'S vision around
showcasing the power of sports through a year-round approach across
our multimedia platforms is a model on how to maximize a
sponsorship at Texas."
Longhorn Sports Properties does not represent the
student-athletes themselves but collaborates with corporate
sponsors to maximize agreements with the inclusion of
student-athlete influencer marketing and the integration of
university marks and logos within those campaigns.
About DICK'S Sporting Goods
DICK'S Sporting
Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring,
supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their
dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer
serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK'S
Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and
Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK'S mobile app.
DICK'S also owns and operates DICK'S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy
Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile
platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and
scorekeeping.
Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives,
DICK'S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together
with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support
under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter
program and other community-based initiatives. Additional
information about DICK'S business, corporate giving, sustainability
efforts and employment opportunities can be found
on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and
on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.
About The University of Texas
Athletics
During the past five years, Texas Athletics has won 12 national
championships and 54 conference titles. The program has also
undergone a comprehensive facilities renovation touching all 21
sports, the largest in the history of college athletics, and a
reimagined football gameday experience. During this time,
Texas has won three of the last
four Learfield Directors' Cup titles, an annual award given to the
nation's top-performing athletics department. Texas Athletics is
one of the few athletics programs in the country that is
self-sustaining, generating $7
million annually for the University's academic enterprises.
The program does not use state funding. Texas is a proud member of the Southeastern
Conference.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading
media and technology company powering college athletics. Through
its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a
deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue,
growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and
entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate
institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand sponsors,
Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers
influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions
for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and
brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game
ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive
custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions,
and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title
sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting
athletic departments across all divisions.
Media Contact
DICK'S Sporting Goods –
press@dcsg.com
Category: Company
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