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The University of Alabama’s athletics department has agreed a new 15-year multimedia rights deal with Learfield that will see the agency work with the Crimson Tide to create a landmark dedicated name, image and likeness (NIL) hub called.
Contract:
- The Advantage Center will house dedicated staff to educate and provide NIL resources for student athletes on their commercial activities
- Hub to act as showcase for NIL relationships at new location inside Bryant-Denny Stadium next to The Authentic, the university’s retail shop run by Fanatics
- Original content platform also being created in collaboration with Learfield Studios
- Athletics department to gain access to data and analytics enhancements from Learfield’s Fanbase platform
- No financial terms disclosed for new deal, but reports suggest it’s among the most lucrative in the country. Alabama’s previous ten-year contract with Learfield was worth between US$15 million and US$16 million per year
Context:
Learfield has had a longtime working relationship with Alabama, with Learfield-owned companies Paciolan and Sidearm Sports representing the athletics department for ticketing and its official website. Its licensing division CLC also has acted as the exclusive licensing agent for Alabama since 1981. These arrangements are however negotiated separately from the multimedia rights deal that’s just been agreed.
Comment:
“Continuing to partner with Learfield will provide us with the resources and innovative solutions to deliver on our mission of providing the best student-athlete and fan experiences possible,” said Greg Byrne, Alabama director of athletics.
“The new NIL center and plans for exciting new content for our fans are just a few examples of the ways in which Learfield will continue to help us be the leader in college athletes for years to come.”
Coming next:
The dedicated NIL hub will help open up new revenue streams for Alabama’s student athletes, while they will also benefit from greater digital content opportunities to expand their brand before entering professional sports.
