University of Cincinnati launches Cincy Sports Partners for direct sponsorship management

Education
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Mandy Commons-DiSalle Swimming & Diving Head Coach | University of Cincinnati Athletic Department

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The University of Cincinnati has announced the formation of a new unit, Cincy Sports Partners, which will focus on building brand partnerships to enhance the university's community engagement. This initiative was revealed by John Cunningham, the Director of Athletics at the university.

Starting July 1, 2025, Cincinnati Athletics will handle its multimedia rights representation internally. This shift means that the Bearcats will directly manage their sponsorships in several areas including student-athlete NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), fan experiences, radio broadcasts, commercials, signage in arenas and stadiums, as well as digital marketing.

John Cunningham expressed enthusiasm about this development: "We are excited about this opportunity to bring our partners even closer to our athletics department, allowing us to tailor their commercial experience while supporting our 450 student-athletes," he stated. He added that Cincy Sports Partners represents a professional model aimed at innovation within college athletics.

Cincy Sports Partners will be managed under the External Relations team led by Anthony Di Fino and John Daniel. Di Fino emphasized the internal culture of excellence: "Our partners must share in our vision to impact the lives of our student-athletes."

Despite bringing multimedia rights in-house, Cincinnati Athletics plans to continue collaborating with Learfield on select projects such as Fanbase data services and national partnership opportunities. Details regarding these collaborations will be disclosed later.

The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics is known for competing at high levels across various sports. It boasts a history of eight national championships and numerous conference titles. The Bearcats' football team made headlines in 2021 by advancing to the College Football Playoff as a non-Power Five program.

In addition to athletic achievements, UC student-athletes excel academically with an impressive collective GPA reported in spring 2024. Under John Cunningham's leadership and supported by over 150 staff members, UC Athletics aims to connect with its community while enhancing both the university and its athletes' experiences.

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