Cincinnati – Director of Athletics, University of Cincinnati john cunningham was announced on New unit formed on Wednesday, Cincy Sports Partnersserves as an in-house sponsorship team focused on connecting the community and strengthening the university through brand partnerships.
Effective July 1, 2025, the Cincinnati Athletics will implement Multimedia Rights Notices (MMR) internally. The Bearcats will no longer use exclusive third parties and will directly sell their own sponsorships in areas such as:
- Student Athlete NIL
- unique fan experience
- radio broadcast
- Local and national commercials
- Arena and stadium signs
- Digital marketing and storytelling
“We are excited about this opportunity to bring our partners even closer to our athletics department, allowing us to customize their commercial experience while supporting our 450 student-athletes.” Cunningham said. “Cincy Sports Partners fits a professional model that allows us to be bold and innovative in the evolving landscape of college athletics.
“We are open to business at all levels and this includes supporting NIL for our student-athletes, advancing technology, creating unique opportunities for student internships/co-ops and career development, and working with top universities in the region. Other benefits of partnering with Cincy Sports Partners include: “Cincy Sports Partners will be a real revenue source for our division. ”
The Cincinnati Athletics are undergoing major positive changes and are looking to maintain that momentum. Since 2021, the University of California has set record enrollments (more than 53,000 students), had its football team advance to the College Football Playoff, entered the Big 12, and completed a $100 million “Day One Ready” campaign. , we plan to achieve our current goals. -the-art Construction of a $134 million indoor practice facility and performance center in 2025.
Cincy Sports Partners
The new division, also known as Cincy Sports Partners, will report through an external relations team led by the vice president of athletics and chief revenue officer. Anthony Di Fino Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer john daniel.
“We have built a culture within our company that demands excellence and demands world-class effort and execution in everything we do,” Di Fino said. “Our partners must share our vision of impacting the lives of student-athletes, and we must reward their commitment to strengthening and expanding their brands with C-Paw. We believe that by working directly with the department, we can create a collaborative and seamless partnership that maximizes our impact in our communities and our value in the marketplace. ”
Cincinnati Athletics will continue to work with Learfield on selected collaborations, including Fanbase data services, Fan365 digital marketing solutions, national partnership opportunities, and integrated website and technology offerings. Details of the arrangement will be announced at a later date.
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If you are interested in becoming a partner with Cincinnati Athletics, please contact Anthony Di Fino at difinoaf@uc.edu.
About Cincinnati Athletics:
The University of Cincinnati Athletics Department competes at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics with a vision to achieve our goals. next level success All 18 varsity teams and over 450 student-athletes are eligible. The Bearcats have a proud track and field history, winning eight national championships and 118 conference championships. The Cincinnati men’s basketball team is one of the 15 winningest programs in history, and the football team is the first non-Power Five program to qualify for the 2021 College Football Playoff. Olympic gold medalist volleyball player Jordan Thompson, NBA Hall of Famer Oscar-winning player Robertson and Major League Baseball legend Sandy Koufax are among several notable names to have competed for the Bearcats.
In 2023, the Bearcats officially join the Big 12 Conference, positioning Cincinnati as one of the best athletics programs in the country and ushering in a new era as a Power 4 school.
Off the field, UC student-athletes continue to find success, all posting a 3.41 GPA and earning 76% of honor roll spots in the spring of 2024.
Under the leadership of the Director of Athletics, john cunninghamsupported by over 150 full-time staff., The mission of UC Athletics is to connect our community, strengthen with our university impact The lives of student-athletes who are preparing to change the world on and off the field.
