Billiken Sports Properties - Learfield

[FromDaEastSide]

http://www.slubillikens.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27200&ATCLID=210219697

Great announcement by the AD to outsource multimedia rights to Learfield. Billiken Sports Properties will now manage the comprehensive SLU athletics rights relationships including signage, sponsorships, corporate hospitality, event marketing, radio play-by-play and coaches’ shows, television and official athletic sponsorships on www.SLUBillikens.com. Learfield’s rights also include third-tier television rights for SLU men’s basketball games at Chaifetz Arena.

[JMM28]

This is a good move. Let sales people from StL be in charge of bringing in money.

This will also be a plus for local TV. Learfield has put Bradley games on local TV in Peoria for the last several years. I'd expect to see feeds from the road and any home games pop up on the secondary broadcast stations in the St. Louis DMA.

[unclecarl]

This is a good move. Let sales people from StL be in charge of bringing in money.

This will also be a plus for local TV. Learfield has put Bradley games on local TV in Peoria for the last several years. I'd expect to see feeds from the road and any home games pop up on the secondary broadcast stations in the St. Louis DMA.

On the surface, this sounds like a good move for SLU. I've heard of Learfield, mostly in passing during (most likely) football radio broadcasts. So anything that expands the SLU brand, especially locally, is a good thing. (It's disheartening at times to see the proliferation of Duke or Michigan merchandise, for example, in the 314.)

I have to wonder if this presages a change of venue for broadcast rights, specifically from WXOS to another station. I don't mean that to be an alarmist speculation; I'm just wondering.

JMM28, what do you have in mind when mention "secondary broadcast stations"? To my non-cable-subscribing brain that means KPLR.

[JMM28]

Secondary broadcast meaning those that don't have original prime time programming or basically the non-ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations that have over the air. I'm not familiar anymore with how many are in StL. UPN,WB, Bounce, etc.

[bonwich]

Learfield started out in sports as the producers of SPUMAC radio. Don't shoot the messenger.

I'm pretty sure the original office in Jeff City is still operational -- there's still a big ol' satellite dish there -- but the headquarters is now in Texas.

[Tonka]

Learfield bought out LRG (Licensing Resource Group) which really steps up that relationship in the licensing world. The Collegiate Licensing Company was acquired by IMG about 6-7 years ago and these two big players are not going head to head in licensing right. I think Learfield represents as many schools if not more than CLC now.

[Adman]

I'll say this: John Sartorius, the guy at Learfield who has been leading the Bills' sponsorship and now media efforts, is one of the hardest working, straight-shooting, honorable guys in the business.

Long time Anheuser-Busch and Busch Entertainment (SeaWorld/Busch Gardens et al) employee. Glad he's now wearing blue and white.

[thatdude]

Just a curiosity, but is this the same kind of deal that Georgetown and VCU have with Learfield? If so, I believe those two get paid something by Learfield for the arrangement.

[Gopher+RamFan]

Just a curiosity, but is this the same kind of deal that Georgetown and VCU have with Learfield? If so, I believe those two get paid something by Learfield for the arrangement.

VCU signed the contract a few weeks ago for $20 Million over 10 years guaranteed.

Georgetown signed a 10 year contract last month between $1-3 million a year "based on performance".

Richmond and a couple of other A10 schools have agreements through Learfield, but have never publicized the amounts (I'm thinking most are below the GT/VCU level). Not sure what SLU would be receiving, but I have to think the market of Saint Louis helps there cause much more so than Richmond/Dayton.