WAC, Van Wagner Announce Contract Extension June 17, 2021
DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and Van Wagner have announced a long-term extension to their multi-media rights partnership.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2021
Contact: Chris Thompson (cthompson@wac.org)
Van Wagner has been serving as the conference’s exclusive sales agent of corporate sponsorships since 2017. The extended partnership runs to 2028. “It is an understatement to say the WAC’s relationship with Van Wagner has been beneficial in assisting with significant conference development during the last four years,” WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd said. “Just as importantly, the membership is thrilled to reach an agreement for the longer term and looks forward to continuing its growth with an outstanding company.”
“We are incredibly proud to announce the extension of our partnership with the Western Athletic Conference,” said Mike Palisi, Executive Vice President of Van Wagner. “Commissioner Jeff Hurd, the Board of Directors and the Presidents of the Conference deserve tremendous credit for their vision in charting what promises to be an amazing course in the history of the WAC. Our entire Van Wagner team is honored to work with Commissioner Hurd and his leadership team on delivering this new and exciting platform to Corporate America.” Under Van Wagner, the WAC’s corporate partners program has doubled the number of regional and national brands sponsoring the Conference. In 2020 Van Wagner also secured Hercules Tires as title sponsor of the Conference’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in Las Vegas. In addition to the WAC, Van Wagner’s portfolio of collegiate partners totals 38 including athletic conferences’ the America East Conference, Big South Conference, Big West Conference, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Colonial Athletic Association, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Southland Conference, Sun Belt Conference and West Coast Conference. Van Wagner also represents future WAC members, Southern Utah University and Sam Houston State.
The extension with Van Wagner comes during a return to football for the WAC. In 2021 the WAC will reinstate football at the Football Championship Subdivision level with the addition of four institutions – Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, defending FCS national champion Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University. A fifth, Southern Utah University, will join the conference for the 2022 season.
ABOUT THE WAC The WAC is a Division I conference located in the southern metro Denver area. The member institutions are California Baptist University; Chicago State University; Dixie State University; Grand Canyon University; New Mexico State University; Seattle University; Tarleton State University; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; and Utah Valley University. Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University join the league July 1, 2021 and Southern Utah University joins the league on July 1, 2022. The WAC crowns team and individual champions in 20 sports – 10 men’s and 10 women’s. For more information, visit WACsports.com and follow the WAC on Twitter @WACsports.
ABOUT VAN WAGNER Van Wagner is a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC that creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, properties, and colleges. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the highest levels of international soccer, sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. www.vanwagner.com
– WAC –
DENVER – The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and Van Wagner have announced a long-term extension to their multi-media rights partnership.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2021
Contact: Chris Thompson (cthompson@wac.org)
Van Wagner has been serving as the conference’s exclusive sales agent of corporate sponsorships since 2017. The extended partnership runs to 2028. “It is an understatement to say the WAC’s relationship with Van Wagner has been beneficial in assisting with significant conference development during the last four years,” WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd said. “Just as importantly, the membership is thrilled to reach an agreement for the longer term and looks forward to continuing its growth with an outstanding company.”
“We are incredibly proud to announce the extension of our partnership with the Western Athletic Conference,” said Mike Palisi, Executive Vice President of Van Wagner. “Commissioner Jeff Hurd, the Board of Directors and the Presidents of the Conference deserve tremendous credit for their vision in charting what promises to be an amazing course in the history of the WAC. Our entire Van Wagner team is honored to work with Commissioner Hurd and his leadership team on delivering this new and exciting platform to Corporate America.” Under Van Wagner, the WAC’s corporate partners program has doubled the number of regional and national brands sponsoring the Conference. In 2020 Van Wagner also secured Hercules Tires as title sponsor of the Conference’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in Las Vegas. In addition to the WAC, Van Wagner’s portfolio of collegiate partners totals 38 including athletic conferences’ the America East Conference, Big South Conference, Big West Conference, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Colonial Athletic Association, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Southland Conference, Sun Belt Conference and West Coast Conference. Van Wagner also represents future WAC members, Southern Utah University and Sam Houston State.
The extension with Van Wagner comes during a return to football for the WAC. In 2021 the WAC will reinstate football at the Football Championship Subdivision level with the addition of four institutions – Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, defending FCS national champion Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University. A fifth, Southern Utah University, will join the conference for the 2022 season.
ABOUT THE WAC The WAC is a Division I conference located in the southern metro Denver area. The member institutions are California Baptist University; Chicago State University; Dixie State University; Grand Canyon University; New Mexico State University; Seattle University; Tarleton State University; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; and Utah Valley University. Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University and Stephen F. Austin State University join the league July 1, 2021 and Southern Utah University joins the league on July 1, 2022. The WAC crowns team and individual champions in 20 sports – 10 men’s and 10 women’s. For more information, visit WACsports.com and follow the WAC on Twitter @WACsports.
ABOUT VAN WAGNER Van Wagner is a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC that creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, properties, and colleges. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the highest levels of international soccer, sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. www.vanwagner.com
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