Ivies Get Their Marketing Bucks, Too

While they might not be seeing $86 million guarantees, Brown University and other Ivy League schools, too, are seeing the benefits of sports marketing firms expanding once local sponsorships to broader deals with national brands.

The Brown Daily Herald takes a look at how a new deal with Nelligan Sports Marketing has helped to "soften the blow" of a difficult economy, bringing in new sponsorships with the likes of Dunkin’ Donuts, AT&T, Domino’s Pizza and Taco Bell.

In addition, the article says that some of NSM's new deals provide value-in-kind such as lodging and food services.

While the school is optimistic, the 5-year deal hasn't paid for itself yet, Director of Athletics Michael Goldberger told The Brown Daily.

“It’s one of those things that we felt would take two or three years to build up to a level where it could really be beneficial for us,” he said. “If they achieve what they set out to do, then we’ll renew."

Treated as a cost center, more sponsorship dollars will reduce the financial burden that the Athletics department places on the University:

Advertising and sponsorship revenue is factored into the athletic department’s base yearly budget, which means that any excess income reduces the amount of money the University gives to the department."

Nelligan also has partnerships with Princeton, UPenn and now Harvard in the Ivy League; and represents 25 schools, conferences and bowls at large.

So what does all this mean for local businesses, who in the past have promoted with Brown Athletics? The article says:

"Some businesses that had been looking for exclusive partnerships with Brown, backed out when the company signed national competitors. For instance, Ronzio Pizza and Subs stopped sponsoring Brown athletics after its deal with Domino’s Pizza."

Nelligan's school GM, Tony D’Arcangelo, says a national sponsor has replaced almost every local sponsor that has been lost.