The ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced an unprecedented multimedia rights agreement with Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment’s collegiate services division last Thursday.
The 10-year deal grants Van Wagner exclusive rights to represent ETSU as the rights holder for the program’s sponsorship and media sales, as well as on- and off-campus marketing promotions for the Buccaneers’ brand. In return, the agreement is anticipated to net ETSU approximately $15 million in revenue and cost-savings over the life of the contract.
“This is a historic day for ETSU Athletics and our entire university,” said ETSU Athletics Director Scott Carter. “A partnership of this magnitude is a testament to the extraordinary brand we have at ETSU. Each of our corporate partners has made this day possible through their tremendous support and investment in the Bucs. I would like to thank Matthew McGahey for his outstanding effort in making today possible, along with Leona Marketing Group president Dan Gale for his guidance in this process. We are truly excited to partner with the team at VWSE and cannot wait to get started. This agreement will allow us to reallocate other departmental resources to better meet our primary goal of providing the best experience possible for our student-athletes and fans.”
“The opportunity to work with Scott Carter and Matt McGahey to build on the amazing foundation they have established at ETSU is truly an honor,” said Mike Palisi, Executive Vice President of VWSE. “The growth and trajectory of ETSU is directly related to the University’s commitment to ‘Excellence Everyday’ and we are confident that corporate America will embrace meaningful strategic partnerships with ETSU.”
Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment LLC (VWSE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC, is one of the preeminent sports marketing and media sales organizations in the world. It is an acknowledged innovator in property consulting and branding solutions and a global leader in naming rights, team and venue services, high-impact visible TV signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, MLS, and internationally in soccer, advertising and sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, technology design and integration, and in-venue content production. VWSE works with more than 300 professional and college teams worldwide. VWSE assists teams, organizations and properties in creating and selling advertising; sponsorships; and media that maximize revenue potential, and helps clients develop effective and powerful customized brand campaigns.
