Murray State University Athletics and Learfield Agree to a 10-Year Multimedia Rights Partnership

Murray State University Athletics and Learfield Agree to a 10-Year Multimedia Rights Partnership

12/22/2025 9:56:00 AM | General

Partnership will complement other Learfield enterprise services CLC and SIDEARM Sports already on campus

Murray State University Athletics and Learfield, the media and technology company powering college athletics, announced today a 10-year partnership to transform Murray State's revenue generation, multimedia rights, and fan engagement solutions.

Set to begin January 1, 2026, this partnership will complement other Learfield enterprise services already on campus, including Learfield's licensed merchandise agency CLC and SIDEARM Sports fan engagement platform. Together, they will continue to strengthen the university's athletic programs with a strategic focus on revenue generation, partnership solutions, and data-driven initiatives.

"This is a transformational day for Murray State Athletics and University, and we are beyond thrilled to enter into this long-term partnership with Learfield," Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. "This relationship will significantly enhance our brand nationally, opens new avenues for NIL and revenue share opportunities, and welcomes additional resources that will help support our departmental objectives of advancing the brand of Murray State University, building a stronger Murray State community and region, competing for and winning championships, and developing our student-athletes through strategic programming that will serve them from recruitment through retirement."

Learfield will deliver growth for Murray State Athletics through integrated revenue generation services built on a foundation of data and cutting-edge technology. Murray State will leverage Learfield's data and digital expertise, powered by Fanbase, the most comprehensive fan data infrastructure in college athletics. Demographic, geographic, and profile data metrics can be used by the multimedia rights team and the Murray State Athletics staff to better target Racers fans and maximize brand partnership opportunities.

"We are extremely grateful and excited for the future of Murray State Athletics as we embark on this new journey with Learfield," Murray State University President Dr. Ron Patterson said. "We have already had a solid relationship with Learfield throughout the years through contracts with SIDEARM, our athletics website provider, and CLC, our campus-wide licensing partner, so this expansion of services will see us continue to experience significant growth and position Murray State for a successful future in a new era of intercollegiate athletics."

Additionally, the partnership will bring valuable intellectual property usage, branded experiences, and enhanced fan-engagement efforts to the forefront of its sponsorship strategy. Planned videoboard enhancements at Johnny Reagan Field and Roy Stewart Stadium will create new opportunities to elevate fan engagement and grow sponsorship revenue in alignment with the Murray State fan base.

"We're excited to partner with Murray State and activate enterprise-level strategic revenue solutions that elevate the Racers' commercial potential and cultivate powerful, long-term relationships," said Meghan Heinchon, Executive Vice President of Sports Properties at Learfield. "Learfield is committed to driving transformational growth and shaping a bold new era for Murray State Athletics."

The partnership will also enhance Murray State's broadcast network, providing live game coverage and original programming across numerous sports, delivering high-quality, engaging content that strengthens fan connection and amplifies sponsor visibility across multiple platforms.

About Murray State Athletics
Murray State University Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I level as a proud member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) and the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). With a rich tradition of excellence, Murray State Athletics is committed to creating a comprehensive and transformative experience for its student-athletes, serving them from recruitment through retirement, while positioning its sport programs to compete for and win championships.

About Learfield
Learfield is the media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.