CLEVELAND – The Mid-American Conference announced today a 10-year marketing rights agreement with JMI Sports that will run through the 2029-30 academic year. This collaboration, which begins July 1, 2020, will greatly assist the continuing efforts of the Conference to provide exceptional student-athlete experiences and support of its 23 NCAA Division I sponsored sports.
JMI Sports is a full-service collegiate marketing firm providing the highest quality management of athletics multimedia rights. In the process of generating significant new revenues for the MAC, JMI Sports will assist in strengthening the MAC brand and expanding its fan base across the nation.
The MAC joins an impressive list of elite partnerships, including Clemson University, the University of Kentucky, the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, and joint-venture properties of the University of Georgia and Columbia University (with Learfield/ IMG College), as well as the University of Notre Dame (with Legends).
“After a deliberate and thorough review of the opportunities presented to us, I am pleased to announce the Mid-American Conference has selected JMI Sports to manage the Conference’s marketing rights,” said Mid-American Conference commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with the JMI Sports team led by Erik Judson and Tom Stultz, and was gratified by their strong interest in partnering with the Mid-American Conference. I look forward to working collaboratively with JMI Sports to advance the interests of the Conference.”
“Thank you to Learfield/IMG College for its service over the years. It is a fine organization and I wish Learfield/IMG College nothing but success,” added Steinbrecher.
The MAC’s previous partnership with Learfield/IMG College began in 2006 with the former ISP Sports, which merged with IMG Worldwide in 2010 to become IMG College. IMG College later merged with Learfield Sports in 2019.
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Mid-American Conference
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I (FBS) 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 10 member conferences of the College Football Playoff. With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Ohio.
Current MAC schools and the year they joined are – East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio. For more information on the Mid-American Conference visit www.GetSomeMACtion.com.
JMI Sports
JMI Sports is a full-service collegiate marketing firm providing the highest quality management of athletics multimedia rights. Breaking new ground in the creation of the Total Campus Marketing program, JMI Sports works hand-in-hand with each university in the pursuit of their success, maximizing their economic potential. JMI Sports adds the MAC to an impressive list of signature partnerships, including Clemson University, the University of Kentucky, the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, and joint-venture properties of the University of Georgia and Columbia University (with IMG College), as well as the University of Notre Dame (with Legends). Founded in 2006 by Erik Judson and technology entrepreneur John Moores, former owner of the San Diego Padres, JMI Sports is also a highly regarded project manager for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities.
