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INSIDE THISISSUE:

‣ CLC GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

‣ UPS MAKES A SPECIAL DELIERY

‣ BIG BOSS DAY IN WINSTON SALEM

‣ LOVE YOUR TEAM, LOVE YOUR CAR

THE PEOPLE, PROPERTIES AND PROGRESS OF IMG COLLEGE VOL. 3, ISSUE 3 | SEPTEMBER 2013

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his is the story of three young boys who dreamed of starting a business together. They wound up doing just that, quite successfully, by hatching a great idea, staying hungry, keeping true to simple core principles, and most of all, never

forsaking the intractable bonds of their special kinship. Today, IMG College Seating is one of the company’s most successful units, serving more than 70 college partners.

John Hite, Franklin Yancey, and Jed Hurt grew up in Southside Virginia. Hurt and Hite played Little League ball together, and even though Yancey would attend a rival high school (punishing the other boys’ school as a middle linebacker and tailback), the three were tight. “We liked Franklin a lot except for Fridays one weekend a year,” Hurt recalls. They were all-for-one and one-for-all Muskateers of sorts, you could say.

The trio would attend Virginia Tech, where they had an epiphany. Rather than sit in traffic after Hokie football games, they’d hang around Lane Stadium, check out the pretty girls, maybe even nab an autograph or two. In fall of 1995, in the fading Blacksburg afternoon daylight, ROTC Cadets were retrieving seats from the grandstands, piling up those old burlap seats like firewood. Entrepreneurial minds began whirring. Why did the seats resemble tired brown tobacco sacks? Shouldn’t Hokie chairs be orange and maroon? And maybe constructed to be more accommodating to a loyal fan’s bottom quarters? It was clear the business model could be improved, boosting fan comfort and school revenue.

Hite approached the Cadet, whose name he’d never forget. Josh True reported the ROTC was earning $900 to rent and collect 3,000 seats. Where was the rest of the money going for these old tobacco sacks, Hite wondered, already calculating the costs for more comfortable, better-looking seats while offering the Cadets more pay for their hard work.

Turns out Hite would soon visit LSU in a student exchange program. Nearly twice as many people filed into Tiger Stadium. No cushioned seats were to be found. To this future MBA student, it sure seemed like those rabid LSU fans would fancy some comfortable purple and gold seats. Hite excitedly shared his observations with his partner Franklin Yancey. The two had been

selling jewelry, golf shirts, long distance phone service, whatever might turn a profit.

A meeting with Virginia Tech was soon secured in hopes of persuading a seating

supplier switch. The response: “You’re students! Go back to class!”

Entrepreneurs with a winning idea don’t slink away, tail between the legs. In the middle of exams, Hite and Yancey drove down to East Carolina University to present the concept. Soon enough, Virginia Tech would

come around and commit in December 1999, as would ECU the following

spring.

With two contracts in hand, the partners had to quickly learn manufacturing. A quick bit

of research led them to a seating design that was patented in 1938 and now free for anyone to use. The

three worked quickly to improve the much-outdated design. Yancey’s father knew a local engineer who designed a machine to bend the steel for the seat’s framework. For sewing and assembling, they found an old Levi’s plant in Blackstone, Va., which was making book bags and products for hospitals. Over Thanksgiving break, the students put on gloves and picked up blowtorches to make some seats.

“It was harder than we thought,” Yancey recalls. “We burned our hands. We could only make 50 a day. It was clear we couldn’t do this on our own, so we reached out to a company in Wisconsin to bend the steel and ship the frames to Blackstone, where they cut and assembled a full seat.”

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When Virginia Tech met ECU in 2000, history will note the game as Michael Vick’s final season in a Hokie uniform. It was also the coming out party for College Comfort LLC. That season, Hite and Yancey, with help from and a local fraternity at ECU, were off and running.

With a better seat and the personal service of the indefatigable Hite and Yancey, other schools signed on. In 2001, five more schools, including big names like Arizona State and Air Force, partnered with College Comfort. By 2002, the partner base doubled to 14, and 16 more schools were added the following year. The business was up to 40 school partners in just four years with college football heavyweights Oregon and Oklahoma in the mix.

In addition to the ROTC, at other schools, the seating team used high school booster clubs, local churches, and Boy Scout troops to

help install and gather the seats. Fraternities generally worked well with one notable exception⎯when an over-served crew showed

up on game day. The happy group was summarily dismissed. Yancey’s 11-year-old cousin happened to be in the house and was recruited along with a few friends to help in a big way.

“It was all hands on deck, and we kept my young cousin at the stadium until about 2 a.m.,” Yancey remembers. “My aunt was just about to kill me, but the lessons he learned were priceless.”

In the early days, the team just found a way to get it done. Likewise, there wasn’t necessarily a lot of polish or fancy salesmanship in those early school presentations.

“I hadn’t had a Dale Carnegie class,” Hite noted. “It was just two local boys who were entrepreneurs, showing how they’d make money for the school at no risk with better quality seats fans would enjoy.”

Times were lean. Hite and Yancey’s fathers helped by co-signing business loans. The duo pumped every possible dollar back into their business. That included a talent investment to bring on the old trio’s final member. In 2003, they officially hired Jed Hurt, a graphics whiz who since the Tech days had been informally helping with presentations. Hurt took a major leap of faith in leaving a solid full-time gig as assistant director of Sports information at Stony Brook for a company operating on big dreams and a shoe-string budget.

Hurt also believed in the promise of the Seating business model. Just as important was officially joining two men he loved and trusted, who could deliver the goods. After all, several years earlier, John Hite had rung him up with tempting news: “Jed, I got this pretty girl who moved next to me! You gotta meet her!” Lunch was set, and Jed Hurt would begin a commitment to a different sort of life partner. Jed and his wife recently celebrated nine years of marriage.

The trio worked insane hours to sign and service a growing client base. “You crawl, you climb, you run, you jump, whatever it takes,” Hite said. He and Yancey divided up the customer list to provide personal service. For new business pitches, Tech’s orange and maroon samples were shipped all over the country.

“We didn’t have the $100 or so to make a unique sample for every school,” Hite said. “We were just dialin’ every day, getting meetings, showing our model.”

[TOP LEFT]: Franklin Yancey works the seating booth at Bryant-Denny Stadium; [BOTTOM LEFT] John Hite and his newest employee; [RIGHT] Hite and Yancey take in a game at the University of Virginia

“We celebrate our victories very poorly. There’s always another mountain to climb.”

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Travel was an area of moderate discretion where pennies could be pinched. Flying from Roanoke, Hurt would park his car for free at a nearby strip mall rather than shell out for airport parking. Friends of friends were contacted for home lodging. Once, when calling on Washington State, Hite and Yancey slept in a room above a veterinarian’s office. “Those darn dogs barked all night long!” Yancey said.

When College Comfort wanted to put sponsor ads on their seats they were directed to the school’s rights holder, ISP. An informal relationship was struck in which ISP helped open doors for College Comfort. “Little did we know this was a two-year job interview,” Hite said. ISP would acquire College Comfort in early 2008.

“This really is a classic entrepreneurial success story, seeing something where nothing existed and then working incredibly hard to build on that vision,” said Ben C. Sutton, Jr., President of IMG College. “John and Franklin were dogged and persistent in serving fans and their school partners, saw a path to even greater growth, and took advantage of our scale to build a market-leading business.”

Sutton sees great potential in integrating sponsorship onto the seats both locally and nationally. Already, Florida State University has done so successfully with Federal Credit Union. In South Carolina, when Corner Pantry emblazoned its name on 9,000 seats, hundreds of fans called the business to order their stadium seats. Talk about an effective unintended renewal strategy.

One challenge is that Seating is not part of the GM’s usual inventory. “This is not a radio ad during the football broadcast, a stadium billboard, or sign on a scoreboard,” Hurt said. “We’re working to educate our organization on the opportunity and have put together a national sales deck.”

Folding Seating into IMG College’s national platform will provide a big brand with exposure on more than 500,000 seats, through season-lease and game day school programs.

Seating’s multi-tiered marketing options typically differ by school. For a school like Virginia Tech, for example, assets for a sponsor include email blasts, the school’s coupon book, website

presence, fan guide, and even a company logo on the customer service reps’ uniforms.

Synergies with IMG Learfield Ticketing are a natural area of collaboration–when a ticket is sold, why not also consider a

seat? Joint sales efforts are underway at Arkansas, Duke, Penn State, Tennessee, and UTEP.

Schools are getting more creative with integrating ticketing and seating. At Cincinnati, all 12,000 season ticket holders receive a seat as part of a VIP package. Central Michigan is planning a similar effort this coming season. “In the ideal world, every season ticket holder would have a seat,” Hurt said.

Ticketing at schools such as Oregon and Oklahoma State are offering “auto enroll” programs giving fans the automatic option to purchase seats.

Arena seats with a padded top and bottom offer a big opportunity for stadiums with old metal and wooden-style bleachers. Look for USC and UCLA to really dress up the old Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Rose Bowl, respectively, with these fold-down seats.

Flexibility is important in serving schools with different needs. Some schools like TCU offer two products (a seat cushion or full seat) at different price points. At more traditional venues such as Notre Dame and Michigan, which have tighter concourse and aisle spaces, the offering is cushion only. Schools like Air Force are open to experimentation: 4,000 fans in a VIP section between the 40 yard lines receive a seat with the school picking up the cost. IMG College Seating has recently tested the waters at NASCAR races, concerts, and is branching out to offer their service in basketball and hockey arenas as well.

In a dozen years, IMG College Seating has grown exponentially. IMG’s acquisition of Cushion Seats in 2010 added 24 schools. Today, each property has an on-site manager working with the athletics department; at bigger partner schools like Virginia Tech and Cincinnati, they’re managing up to 300 workers to install the seats.

Yet the business is still essentially a streamlined operation with just ten employees serving more than 90 universities and sharing in all management decisions.

“We are wearing many hats, but no one is going to make a bad decision if you’re discussing every one of them,” Yancey said. “Every move has a better chance of being fully thought through and then successful. It may be less efficient, but it’s been effective for us. It’s a challenge we love to take on, seeing something grow that we started in our 20s.”

“We are wearing many hats, but no one is going to make a bad decision if you’re discussing every one of them”

The first company car with stadium rent-a-seats in tow.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | 5

The partners have been through a lot together⎯not only the tough

days any business owner faces but also the peaks and valleys of life away from college sports with new girlfriends and marriages, the birth of children, and the loss of family.

Looking back, and ahead, the trio is still pumped to be in business together.

“We worked, and still work, some very long days,” Hite said. “You just get through it. You run on adrenaline, the excitement of being an entrepreneur. It still is very exciting to get a new deal.”

There’s not a lot of time to pop champagne corks on victory laps.

As Hurt puts it, “We celebrate our victories very poorly. There’s always another mountain to climb. We’re always looking for what’s next. That’s just the way we do it. It all comes down to three good ol’ boys selling seats, and there’s really nothing else we’d rather do.”

JUNE 2013 | 5

Research. Preparation. Determination. Persistence. Presentation.

These are tenets of selling John Hite has used to help build IMG College Seating. Hite’s “MO” also happened to save his daughter’s life.

Janie Hite was born four years ago with achondroplasia – the most common form of dwarfism. When she was nine months old, Janie had what is known in layman’s terms as “water on the brain.” To stay alive, she needed a very difficult and complicated operation few doctors could handle.

John Hite flew into action. He stayed up late at night, reading everything he could about Janie’s affliction. One man in the country was his precious daughter’s best hope, Hite learned. His name: Dr. Ben Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The problem? Dr. Carson, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008 (and has growing support strong for a run for President in 2016) is a busy, important man. Few can even reach him.

John was very determined to get Dr. Carson’s assistance, even in the middle of the night. So the night before Janie’s surgery, at 2:00 a.m., John sent an urgent email.

Dr. Carson later told the family “something” woke him at the crazy early hour. He checked the email on his phone and saw the heartfelt note.

Even though Dr. Carson had two other surgeries that morning, he reviewed Janie’s records, spoke with John, and advised the doctors to guide her operation. Dr. Carson took Janie as a patient

and personally performed another serious surgery a few months later.

When Janie was feeling better, the family asked Dr. Carson, “What do you think woke you so early, made you see our email, and decide to help?”

The man of science and medicine, schooled in the cold pragmatic causality governed by biology and chemicals, simply pointed his finger to the sky.

Janie’s path may be a bit tougher than most. She won’t grow to a typical height and will look a bit different. But that’s OK with her and the Hites. They know Janie’s difficult voyage has and will continue to make her, and them stronger. With the care of John, his wife Kristin, and their three other children, the amazing talents of heroes like Dr. Carson, and the mysteries of a higher power smiling down on her, Janie can live a long, happy life…surrounded by a truly special loving family.

[LEFT, L to R) John, Kristen, and Janie Hite with Dr. Ben Carson; [RIGHT] The Amazing Janie Hite

A Late Night Emailand a Miracle

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G-III Apparel Group will utilize the STARTER label to re-launch the iconic team sports outerwear pieces that were hugely popular in the 1980s and early ‘90s. Distribution will target high-end retailers such as sporting goods stores, department stores, and specialty stores, as well as e-commerce leader Fanatics. Pricing will range from $150 to $180 when the product launches in October. The new collegiate line covers 14 schools, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Georgetown, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Texas, and Texas A&M. 

Heading into the new college football season and key back-to-school retail selling period, three major clothing brands—Dockers, Carhartt,  and  G-III Starter—will launch collegiate apparel lines with the help of Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC (CLC), IMG College’s licensing affiliate.

Apparel sales account for approximately 65% of the total retail market for collegiate licensed merchandise, which was estimated at $4.62 billion in 2012. CLC partner institutions represent nearly 80% of total retail sales. Royalties from licensed merchandise sales go back to the institutions to fund scholarships and other valuable programs on campus.

Dockers’ new college-themed product line is its first collegiate program and a brand priority for the fall, initially themed to 10 schools. The Game Day Program  line includes two khaki variations in classic and alpha (slim tapered) fit with school colors, an internal stamp of the school slogan, and an external embroidery of the school logo. Product launches will occur in September for  Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, LSU, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon State, Texas A&M, and Washington State. Product will be available at Macy’s, Macys.com, and Dockers.com. 

Carhartt’s first co-branded licensing deal will include subtle team logos and school colors on outerwear such as jackets, knit hats, and overalls. Fourteen schools headline the initial rollout, including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. (Michigan State, Iowa, and Iowa State are included in the program through a separate licensing agreement.)

Product will be sold in farm and fleet distribution channels, with plans to extend to Bass Pro Shops and campus retailers. This program provides an

important new distribution opportunity for Carhartt, a family-owned company founded in 1889, which makes

apparel for the active worker.

“ O u t e r w e a r h a s b e e n a n underdeveloped product category in

collegiate licensing and has extensive room for growth,” said CLC VP Apparel Management Joe Hutchinson.

CLC Goes Back to Schoolwith New Apparel Lines

6 | JUNE 2013

SEPTEMBER 2013 | 7

oday’s average worker stays at a job just over four years. Millennials keep the same job less than three years. That could mean joining more than 15 companies over the course of a working life.

By those measures, call John Cox old school. In 1974, he left Middletown, Ohio, for the warmer clime of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Cox wanted to walk onto the Southern Miss basketball team and learn broadcasting at the school’s noted Radio, Television, and Film Department. He looked forward to winters without picking up a snow shovel.

He hasn’t touched one in a while: 39 years and counting, Cox is still Voice of the Golden Eagles on the Southern Miss IMG Sports Network. For the sixth time, he was recently honored as Mississippi Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Cox wound up playing JV ball for Southern Miss and made the most of his opportunities with Golden Eagles sports. He found a mentor in former play-by-play man Bill Goodrich, keeping stats and engineering Goodrich’s broadcasts. Once, when Goodrich was sidelined with pneumonia, Cox, who had just graduated, called a stretch of 10 basketball games.

It was a role he’d been planning for since “calling” table-top games in his Ohio basement. (Yes, “table top” games. X-Box was decades away, and Madden was still in tight polyester pants strutting along the sidelines of Oakland Coliseum).

Summer nights in a town outside Cincinnati were spent listening to inimitable radio legends bringing games alive. There was gravel-voiced Jack Buck, jovial Harry Caray of the Cardinals, Waite Hoyt and Joe Nuxhall of the Reds and locally, smooth Warren Johnson calling Middletown Middies high school games that felt right out of “Hoosiers.”

When Goodrich retired, Cox was in the right place at the right time. He moved up to handle play-by-play for Golden Eagles football and basketball while hosting the Southern Miss Sports Today TV shows and the Golden Eagles Hotline weekly call-in

show. He’s worked on the Fox Sports Net South and Comcast Sports Southeast telecasts of Southern Miss baseball.

“Looking back, I can’t imagine doing anything else but being the voice of the Golden Eagles,” Cox said. “The longer I’ve been here, being around coaches and players and the Hattiesburg community, it just felt right.”

Along the way, there have been brilliant highlights like Southern Miss’s 1987 NIT Championship basketball team, and baseball’s improbable run to the College World Series in 2009, winning the bracket at Georgia Tech then upsetting Florida at the Super Regionals for a trip to Omaha.

It was a thrill to watch Reggie Collier from 1979-82, taking the Golden Eagles to Bryant Denny Stadium and winning 38-29 to snap Alabama’s 57-game home winning streak.

“And then of course, a young guy by the name of Brett Favre rolled into Hattiesburg, and took us to some of our biggest wins,” Cox recalled. At Legion Field in Birmingham, a few weeks after a scary car wreck and the removal of nearly three feet of the young QB’s intestines, Favre’s Golden Eagles again upset the Crimson Tide, 27-24.

Thirty five years is a long time in a job. How long will Cox stay a Golden Eagle?

“I never think of that. I’ll stay at it as long as it’s fun,” he says. “And I’m having more fun than ever. This is the perfect job to be

around sports, at the biggest events, traveling around the country… and they pay you for it! You never know what you’re going to see, how the players are going to do. I still get excited when I slap the headset on. I can’t imagine it any other way.”

Voice of Golden Eagles Again Broadcaster of the Year

TJohn Cox (left) with Southern Miss men’s basketball coach Donnie Tyndall

JUNE 2013 | 7

8 | SEPTEMBER 2013

ow do you engage tens of thousands of football fans heading into a stadium with anything but cars on their minds?

Hyundai’s solution is to “out fan” the fans by invading their “super fan” wavelength and linking deep home-team loyalties to the brand’s No. 1 owner-loyalty ranking.

Knowing that the passions of college football fans are intertwined with their home teams, the automaker worked with IMG College to forge local college football sponsorships at 24 schools across its sales regions (Wisconsin, not an IMG school, is also included in the college footprint.)

Hyundai’s “Show Your Loyalty” activation campaign at 153 college football games has been so successful that it was honored as best in sports at the 2013 “Ex Awards” – the only marketing recognition program judged by brand-side marketers. The Ex Awards are the world’s most sought-after trophy for experiential marketing excellence.

In 25 sponsored markets, Hyundai’s local activation, managed by Advantage International, generated more than one million on-site impressions. Crowds heading for Hyundai’s FanZone entered an environment bursting with home team colors, graphics, and spirit. In the FanZone, eager fans tossed footballs in a Plinko touchdown game. Two Hyundai vehicles held center stage—a sporty Veloster Turbo and a Santa Fe customized as the ultimate tailgater with turf green interior, pigskin seats, built-in barbecue, and artificial turf carpeting.

At nearly every game, the Hyundai Loyal FanZone was the corporate tailgating area’s top draw. Other sponsors happily drafted off Hyundai’s crowds. The space buzzed with football-themed games, team-branded Hyundai vehicles, fan photo ops, and branded merchandise giveaways.

Extending beyond on-site activations, every FanZone activity fed social media through RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification). Visitors swiping their RFID key chains earned a chance to win a new Santa Fe. Every swipe sent a FanZone update to Facebook, generating more than 2.5 million impressions.

To connect with upscale fans, Hyundai orchestrated 12 alumni tailgate gatherings, reaching 11,000 alumni fans with premium vehicle displays and branded gifts.

“Love your Team. Love Your Car” showroom kits for 300 dealerships near the universities, along with team-branded signage, life-size mascots and showroom media helped turn dealerships into home team tailgate parties.

In addition to extensive in-stadium branding, Hyundai made a halftime splash with the Internet sensation “Dude Perfect,” a group of online sports stuntsters who starred in a halftime video of remarkable football trick shots on, in, and around a Santa Fe speeding across the gridiron. During the season, the video was seen by nearly two million fans on site and 730,000 on YouTube.

The marriage of collegiate intellectual property, creative advertising, and full-blown local on-campus activation is helping sell vehicles. When nearly 10,000 people were surveyed, 78% said their opinion of Hyundai had improved after visiting the FanZone activation; 91% were “very” or “somewhat likely” to consider purchasing a Hyundai vehicle, and nearly 11% asked to be contacted by a Hyundai dealer.

Hyundai’s college commitment represents the largest U.S. sports sponsorship in its history.

HYUNDAI’S COLLEGE ACTIVATION: THE BEST IN SPORTS

H

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niversity of Central Florida (UCF) Basketball ushered in a new era in high style⎯a UPS new-court delivery to CFE

Arena with fanfare usually reserved for heads of state. The court was brought in via a special-detailed UPS

truck, escorted by local police.

Originating in Rossville, GA, the high-profile delivery made it to Orlando in 11 hours. With large sections stained in black paint, the unveiling was dubbed #OperationBlacktop. Social media helped spread the word of the special logistics required to deliver and install the new hardwood from Connor Sports Flooring. The new American Athletics Conference (AAC) logo is also emblazoned on the floor. UCF's official Twitter account (@UCFKnights) is centered in front of the scorer’s table, and the #ChargeOn hashtag is in front of each bench.

The idea for a UPS court delivery was hatched when Dave Boutellier, GM at UCF IMG Sports Marketing, heard in a meeting with Athletics that the Knights would be getting a new basketball court. He shared his concept for chronicling the important delivery, and UPS immediately took to the idea.

“Like all great marketers, I copied a pre-existing idea,” Boutellier joked, referring to UPS’s highly publicized delivery of the hallowed Final Four hardwood floor from Michigan to Atlanta.

With Boutellier on point, the IMG College team made strong in-roads on the B2B front, connecting UPS’s local sales and marketing teams with UCF Athletics. The UCF GM invited Cindy Chace, a UPS sales rep, to network with other UCF partners at a basketball game in February and learn about the new court.  Boutellier orchestrated follow-up meetings, and the program took shape.

The beauty of the well-executed program was in the logistics among the school’s Athletics, Marketing, Media Relations, Fan

Development, and Operations staff.

“This type of ancillary involvement, promotion, and development of case studies beyond the traditional sponsorship elements help ingrain UPS as a committed partner of UCF, on and off the court,” said Corey Price, manager, sponsor services for IMG College.

“We are blessed here to have tremendous ‘UPSers’ locally and regionally, and an Athletic Department with a willingness to lock arms with a partner and engage in new ideas,” Boutellier said. “I’m proud that all the shipping business in UCF Athletics has been converted to UPS, and we were the first school in the state with wrapped drop boxes.  It’s a testament to a terrific partnership.”

For a behind-the-scenes look at the court delivery, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOMKP-BHfZo

UCF is primed for its move to the AAC, a Conference that will include national champion Louisville, perennial Conference USA title contender Memphis, and traditionally strong programs such as Cincinnati, UCONN, and Temple.

UCF’s goal now is to count itself among the elite teams in the new Conference. The Knights see the new court as a step in that direction.

"When you turn on the TV, you’ll know UCF is playing," said UCF Men’s Basketball Coach Donnie Jones.

UUPS Delivers New Court for UCF

JUNE 2013 | 9

10 | SEPTEMBER 2013

When Malik, 8, and Kameron, 9, waltzed into IMG College headquarters one Friday in August, it was like they owned the joint.

After all, the boys were “bosses” for the day.

“OK, chop chop, get to work everyone!” Malik declared, as the boys jokingly fired people and demanded to hear others’ radio voices. “This is definitely the most fun I’ve had all summer.”

The day was part of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ campaign to give children a chance to be a “Big” and to recruit more volunteers. IMG College was one of 25 local Winston-Salem businesses participating.

With Regional Network Manager Mike Tingle cooking up a fun tour, the “Little Brothers” visited the Winston-Salem broadcasting studios, learned about the equipment, and shot hoops on our office basketball court. They also recorded a radio spot, watched live announcing, and pretended to run game broadcasts for Florida and Oregon.

“You get paid to do this?” Kameron (left) asked in amazement. “I can’t wait for the future.”

After a morning in the office, Kameron declared he wants to be a sports radio announcer when he grows up. Malik likes any job that involves “being the boss and sitting in the comfy chairs.”

Director of Partnership Marketing Jason Wilmoth, Malik’s Big Brother for the day, said he will definitely consider becoming a mentor. Wilmoth had two Little Brothers when he lived in Florida.

“They were all smiles all day,” Wilmoth said. “It’s important for these boys to have a good, positive role model to look up to, and today was a great opportunity for them to see what life’s like.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters targets children who live in single-parent homes, have grown up in poverty, and who are coping with parental incarceration.

Malik and Kameron didn’t want to leave IMG. They asked if Wilmoth and Ben Checketts⎯Kameron’s Big Brother for the day⎯would become their

permanent big brothers.

“You can be my big brother every day and all day, and sometimes we can come to your work and play basketball,” Malik told Wilmoth.

“You get emotionally attached to the kids,” said Checketts, a coordinator of university services. “It’s definitely a time commitment, but there is seriously

nothing more rewarding than this.”

“Ben and Jason did something very special signing up for this event, and they truly embody the spirit of community service that’s so important to our culture,”

Tingle said. “I really admire them for taking time to make a difference in these young boys’ lives. The next day when I read in the Winston-Salem Journal that boys wanted

to be radio announcers, well, that just made my day.  The entire experience was incredibly enriching.”

“Big” Boss for a Day in Winston-Salem

10 | SEPTEMBER 2013

SEPTEMBER 2013 | 11

s Mike Dolan recently shared with  you, Forstmann Little & Co., the private equity firm of which IMG is a portfolio company, is evaluating strategic initiatives for IMG, including its possible sale.

With this news, I'd encourage you to pause and consider our position in

the sports industry⎯one of great strength as schools continue to entrust

us with promoting their brands and enhancing their programs

financially⎯and as we grow our capabilities to drive the goals of our

sponsor and licensee partners.

IMG College is America’s leading collegiate sports marketing company, offering local, regional, and national multi-platform marketing

opportunities targeting 190 million college sports fans⎯the largest and

most attractive fan (consumer) base in sports.

We are the clear leader in the growing collegiate sponsorship market with a broad range of exclusive rights to 96 universities and conferences in 51 of the top 56 Nielsen markets, including nearly two-thirds of the College Football Playoff/BCS university segment. Beyond that, we distribute over 35,000 hours of programming on a giant 2,200-station radio network (largest in the country) and more than 300 TV outlets.  This year, we produced  700+ different publications and expanded our leading reach in the college sports digital arena.

In the past six months, we acquired the long-term multimedia rights to the only three BCS institutions up for grabs: West Virginia, Rutgers, and Ole Miss. In a mature marketplace with limited available school rights, this major competitive victory confirms the value we generate.

Through our licensing affiliate,  Collegiate Licensing Company LLC (CLC), we also represent the exclusive trademark licensing and consumer product rights for more than 200 top schools, conferences, and bowl games. CLC works to expand the distribution of collegiate products within the $4.6 billion retail market for collegiate licensed merchandise, to provide a superior product selection for consumers, and to increase sales for collegiate brands. In making a fragmented marketplace easier to navigate, we’ve driven more than $1.4 billion in licensing royalties back to partner institutions since CLC’s inception.

Universities are seeking outside professionals to maximize their revenue beyond sponsorship and licensing, and IMG is investing heavily  in our college businesses to answer the bell. Our Business Ventures division has developed new services in Ticketing (now with 26 school partners and on track to sell almost $70 million in tickets this year); stadium seating (90+ school partners), and our newest service

lines in Fundraising and Premium Events & Hospitality, which will launch premiere events this fall.

Across our enterprise, trust-based relationships with leading collegiate institutions result in long-term partnerships: we’ve served 162 schools for more than 10 years and nearly 100 schools for 20+ years. Our sales team of nearly 400 marketing professionals, the largest in sports, provides a full range of custom programs and local activation, serving more than 5,500 unique sponsors. We’re serious about developing our sales team and have been the only sports organization to be selected to

the prestigious Training 125⎯a global award for employee development.

In these pages, you’ve often read of the massive and growing interest in college sports. At the same time, our organization is challenged by a difficult economy and greater competition. To maintain our strong performance, what’s most important is for each of us to continue to pull together as one team. There is great strength and stability in our College business, which contributes a sizable and consistently growing profit to IMG and would be a crown jewel for any sports or media company. There is even more strength when we’re all working together.

Over the past two months alone, I've been on 24 campuses visiting with our sales teams, our partner ADs and university staff. Just as I came to understand coming into this business at Wake Forest nearly 30 years ago, I am reminded once again, that above everything else, IMG College is a service company. Ours is a relationship business. That means our people are our most important resource and absolutely essential to success…no matter who owns IMG!

The great writer John Maxwell says there are two magnificent days in

our lives⎯the day we are born, and the day we figure out why. As I've

traveled to all corners of America this summer to be with our team, I’ve been impressed with their strong passion for college sports and what we do.  I went on the road to be a cheerleader. After visiting with Ray Deweese, Paul Engl, Peter Mosienko, "Duck" Davis, Jason Booker, Brian Movalson, Andrew Judelson,  Jason Oberlander, Jeff Huffman, Mike Kohler,  and many others, I left as the one who was inspired. And, isn’t inspiration a beautiful thing, working with folks who wake up every day loving what they do. That makes me even more bullish on our team, about our business, our prized market position, and our future together at IMG College.

 

Thoughts from the desk of Ben Sutton

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12 | SEPTEMBER 2013

ROSTERCHANGESBrad Aikins has been named senior account executive of Syracuse IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Aikins served as account executive in partnership marketing for Barclays Center/Brooklyn Nets. Prior to that, he was an account executive in partnership marketing for Nets Basketball. He has also held other positions with Nets Basketball, including account manager of VIP Access & Experience and Inside Sales Representative. Aikins received a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from St. John’s University.

Erin Ambrose has been named partner services coordinator of TCU IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Ambrose served as a special guest manager for ESPN X Games. Before that, she was the facilities coordinator for Fellowship Bible Church Dallas. She also served as a sport intern for the United States Olympic Committee. Ambrose graduated from Belmont University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and Mississippi State University with a Master of Science in Sport Administration.

Carl Anderson has joined IMG College as an account executive for Thundering Herd IMG Sports Marketing. Previously, Anderson served as group sales representative for the Tampa Bay Rays. Prior to that, he served as a MBA student corporate consultant for Mady Development Corporation. He has also served in the Marketing Department of the University of Florida Athletic Association. Anderson received a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University, a master’s degree from the University of Florida, and a MBA from the University of Windsor.

Brandon Baker has been named account executive of UK IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Baker served as sales manager for Sherwin Williams Company. He has also held positions that included commercial sales representative and commercial branch manager for Sherwin Williams Company. Baker graduated from Berea College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

Amanda Barasha has been named university services coordinator for IMG College. Previously, Barasha served as digital intern for Woodbine. Prior to that, she served as a consultant for Alliance Wines Inc. Barasha received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Wake Forest University.

Jeanne Beirch has joined the IMG College Finance department as revenue manager. Previously, Beirch served as accounting manager of 5C Government Security Clearance for Campus Partners. Prior to that, she was manager of client accounts receivable for AMN Healthcare, Inc. She has also held various positions with companies, including Frazee Industries, Inc., Brighton Health Alliance, and Earle M. Jorgensen Company. Beirch received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Arizona.

Corinne Bildstein has been named coordinator in the National Sales & Marketing department for IMG College. Previously, Bildstein served as marketing intern for SJX Partners, LLC. She has also held various internship positions with IMG College and the University of Connecticut Athletic Marketing Department. Bildstein received a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Connecticut.

Mitchell Brooks has joined the regional sales division of IMG College as partner services coordinator of the East region. Previously, Brooks held various internship positions with IMG College, including marketing assistant, and football and basketball game day assistant. Brooks received a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Tampa.

Aaron Brunk has joined the Audio division of IMG College has a broadcast producer. Previously, Brunk served as a studio host and producer for IMG College. Prior to that, he was a play-by-play announcer for the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks of the Rockingham County Baseball League. He has also served as sports director for VCU Student R a d i o . B r u n k i s a g r a d u a t e o f V i rg i n i a Commonwealth University.

Dante Carnevale has been named account executive of Rutgers IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Carnevale served as associate director of development for Rutgers Athletic Development at Rutgers University. Before that, he was editorial producer for Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Carnevale received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree from New York University.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | 13

ROSTERCHANGESAlexander Chang has been named vice president of National Sales for IMG College. Previously, Chang served as vice president of Sports and Entertainment Marketing/Global Media & Sponsorships for American Express. He has also held various other positions with American Express, including vice president, U.S. Advertising/Global Advertising & Brand Management, director of acquisition/Small Business Services, and senior manager of Interactive Strategy. Prior to that, his experience included Ernst & Young, LLP, and Grady Health System - Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital. Chang received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Emory University.

Rick Deitch has joined IMG College as a corporate recruiter. Previously, Deitch was a contract recruiter for Turner Broadcasting System. Prior to that, he was a senior corporate recruiter for Fiserv (formerly Checkfree), and worked as a corporate recruiter for HRworks. He has also held various positions with companies, including The Coca-Cola Company, Matrix Resources Inc, Consutec, Inc., and Focus, Inc. Deitch is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Cory Dirksen has been named assistant general manager of Miner IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Dirksen served as account executive for the Austin Toros. Prior to that, he served as general manager for the Rio Grande Valley Whitewings. His additional experience included various roles at Staples Promotional Products, United League Baseball, Windy City Thunderbolts, and the Rockford Riverhawks. Dirksen received a bachelor’s degree from Eureka College and a master’s degree from Western Illinois University.

Mike Dirmann has been named account executive of the Horizon League/OVC. Prior to joining IMG College, Dirmann served as communications graduate assistant at Ohio University. Before that, he was ticket/promotions coordinator for Florida Citrus Sports. He also served as sports anchor/reporter for WMGM/KSLA. Dirmann received a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Washington and Lee University and a Master of Sports Administration from Ohio University.

Ryan Dowd has been named staff accountant for IMG College. Previously, Dowd served as an accountant for Heritage Fabrics, LLC. Prior to that, he served as accounting intern for Business 1 Concepts. Dowd earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University.

Mike Egan has been named general manager of Mountaineer IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Egan served as marketing manager in corporate sales for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before that, he was senior director of corporate partnerships for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has also held positions with the Portland Trail Blazers including corporate sales manager and client services manager. Egan received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon.

Jeff Geiser has joined IMG College as project manager. Previously, Geiser served as assistant director of Sports Communications for the University of Cincinnati. Prior to that, he was a public relations assistant for the Cincinnati Bengals. He has also held various roles with organizations including the Cincinnati Reds, the National Football League, and the Cincinnati Commandos Professional Indoor Football Club. Geiser is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati.

Brandy Jamison has joined IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions as sales operations assistant. Prior to joining IMG College, Jamison served as business operations specialist for EMC2. Before that, she was sales coordinator for the Winston-Salem Dash Minor League Baseball team. She also served as program management assistant for the Women’s Sports Foundation. Jamison received a bachelor’s degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree from East Carolina University.

Ben Jones has been named manager of University Services for IMG College. Previously, Jones served as MBA Consultant, Global Sponsorship Marketing for Visa, Inc. Prior to that, he was a sports marketing/hospitality intern for MassMutual Financial Group. He also held positions with organizations, including Alli Sports, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Bonclarken Conference Center. Jones received a bachelor’s degree in Sport administration from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a master’s degree in Sport Management and MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

14 | SEPTEMBER 2013

ROSTERCHANGESAndrew Keown has been named account executive of Gator IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Keown served as an intern for Gator IMG Sports Marketing. He has also served as an office assistant/marketing volunteer for the University of Florida Athletic Association. He was also an intern for EDGE Tour and served as a supervisor for the University of Florida RecSports. Keown graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management.

Larry Knott has joined IMG College as IT services delivery analyst. Previously, Knott served as systems administrator for Pike Electric. Prior to that, he was senior deskside support for Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. His previous IT experience also included senior systems support analyst at Wachovia Securities, IT Systems Manager for B/E Aerospace and Network Administrator for Lowe’s Companies Inc. Knott is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Alison Lafferty has been named manager of Apparel Licensing for Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC. Previously, Lafferty served as a market manager for Bacardi USA. Prior to that, she served as trade marketing manager for Constellation Wines U.S. She has also held a number of positions with companies, including Brown-Forman Beverages, Draftfcb, Wirtz Beverage, and Simon Marketing. Lafferty received a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University.

Marisa LaVallee has joined IMG College as manager of University Services. Prior to joining IMG College, LaVallee served as account coordinator for Wildfire, LLC. Previously, she was project coordinator for Universal Meeting Management. She has also served as strategic specialist/project manager for The Republik. LaVallee received a Bachelor of Arts degree from North Carolina State University.

Shannon Lynch has been named account executive of Jaguar IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Lynch served as personal assistant to Shawn Johnson, USA. Before that, she was an intern for Jaguar IMG Sports Marketing. She also worked as a managerial assistant at Gordon Miller Realty. Lynch is a graduate of The University of Alabama.

Heather Meyer has joined IMG College as marketing manager – national programs. Previously, Meyer served as manager of Sponsor Services in Winston-Salem. Prior to joining IMG College, she was the marketing coordinator at Camelback Ranch, the spring training facility of the White Sox and Dodgers, as well as an intern for the Chicago White Sox. Meyer is a graduate of the University of Iowa.

Greg Myford has been named assistant regional vice president of the Southeast region. Prior to joining IMG College, Myford served as associate athletic director for Business Relations and Communications at Penn State University. Previously, he held various positions with Palace Sports & Entertainment, including senior vice president of Corporate Development, vice president of Sponsorship Development, and director of Sports Sponsorship Sales. He is a graduate of Penn State University.

Matt O’Brien has been named partner services coordinator of Mountaineer IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, O’Brien served as an intern for UK IMG Sports Marketing. He has also held other internship positions with organizations, including the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Penguins. O’Brien received a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Kentucky.

Adam Pfau has been named senior account executive of Sun Devil IMG Sports Marketing. Previously, Pfau served as manager of corporate partnerships for the Arizona Rattlers. Before that, he was account executive for FOX Sports Arizona and was account executive for KEDJ & KKFR, as well as Cox Media. Pfau is a graduate of Arizona State University.

Brittany Phillips has been named partner services coordinator for Boston College IMG Sports Marketing. Previously, Phillips served as recruitment consultant, marketing and office support for Michael Page International. Prior to that, she served as social media marketing specialist for Reebok/Shooting Touch Inc. She was also on the external operations staff at Boston College and was a marketing communications intern for PUMA North America. Phillips received a bachelor’s degree from Endicott College.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | 15

ROSTERCHANGESSeth Poteat has been named account executive for UK IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Poteat served as director of Marketing & Corporate Sales and Corporate Account executive for the Lexington Legends Professional Baseball Club. Prior to that, he was a retention marketing coordinator for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Poteat graduated from the University of Kentucky with bachelor’s a n d m a s t e r ’s d e g r e e s i n B u s i n e s s Administration.

Kristin Pratt has been named project manager for IMG College. Previously, Pratt was assistant director of Sports Communications for North Carolina A&T State University. Before that, she was media relations manager for the Stockton Ports. Pratt received a B.A. in Journalism News/Editorial Sequence from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Munir Prince has been named account executive of Drake IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Prince served as offensive administrative graduate assistant/quality control for the University of Missouri football team. Price is a graduate of the University of Missouri.

Holly Ramey has joined Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC, as coordinator in the Local Licensing division. Prior to joining IMG College, Ramey served as Client Relations manager for Bluechip Athletic Solutions. Before that, she was account executive for Naylor Publications. Ramey received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport Management and a Master of Science in Sport Administration from Florida State University.

Andrea Rich has joined Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC, as d irector o f Reta i l Development. Previously, Rich served as associate buyer for Walmart. Prior to that, she was the fine jewelry sales manager for Macy’s. She has also held various positions with companies, including DSW and Macy’s Central. Rich is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

Pedro Salgado has joined IMG College as partner services coordinator of Razorback Sports Properties. Prior to joining IMG College, Salgado served as corporate marketing intern for Seminole IMG Sports Marketing. Before that, he was graduate assistant marketing coordinator for Florida State University College of Education. Salgado received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tampa and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in sport management from Florida State University.

Blair Skornschek has joined Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC as a coordinator in Apparel Brand Management. Previously, Skornschek served as a marketing assistant for Sales & Fan Experience for the Georgia Tech Athletic Association. Prior to that, she was a partner services coordinator for USTA Southern/BB&T Atlanta Open. Skornschek graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and Georgia State University with a master’s degree in Sport Administration.

Jason Smith has been named director of sales in Radio for Cougar IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Smith served as managing partner for Rockwell Time/KingRock Media/PSMG Sports. Before that, he worked as associate general manger for Cougar IMG Sports Marketing. He has also held positions with organizations, including the Utah Jazz and The Denver Newspaper Agency. Smith received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University.

Jaymie Solomon has joined IMG College Human Resources as director of talent acquisition. Prior to joining IMG College, Solomon was director of Executive Talent Acquisition for Piedmont Healthcare. Previously, she was manager of Recruitment, Employee Relations and HR Administration for Saint Joseph’s Heath System. She also served as a team lead for recruitment and retention for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Solomon is a graduate of the University of Georgia.

Jake Thayer has joined IMG College as senior account executive of Michigan IMG Sports Marketing. Previously, Thayer served as corporate sales manager and corporate account executive for the Lexington Legends, Class-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Prior to that, he was new season ticket sales executive for Atlanta Spirit. Thayer earned a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College.

16 | SEPTEMBER 2013

ROSTERCHANGESChris Vurnakes has joined IMG College as account executive of Charlotte IMG Sports Marketing. Prior to joining IMG College, Vurnakes served as manager of Fan Development and Ticket Programs for the Carolina Railhawks FC. Before that, he was co-professor in the Sport Management Department at North Carolina State University. Vurnakes received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from North Carolina State University.

Jeremy Ward has been named account executive of Southern Miss IMG Sports Marketing. Previously, Ward served as account sales manager for Coca-Cola Refreshment. Prior to that, he was sales representative for Republic National Distributing Company. Ward received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Mississippi State University.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hartley Carlson has transitioned to sponsor services coordinator for IMG College.

Brittany Peisel has been promoted to partner services representative of the Collegiate Licensing Company, LLC.

College Colors DayCelebrations at IMG& Across the Country…

SEPTEMBER 2013 | 17

FACES&PLACES

1. Good times at a Vanderbilt staff dinner (L to R): Senior Account Executive Jeff Haynie; Account Executive Jane Normansell (formerly DeWitt); Partner Services Coordinator Jamie Holmes; General Manager Jeff Miller.

2. At the Oregon Football Yearbook photo shoot, PSCs Tracy Vogelsong and Krissy Gilbertson pose with a few Ducks stars.

3. The Air Force team at their pre-season strategy meeting (L to R): Paul Woody, Ian Frost, and Mitch Mann.

4. The IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions sales team at Penn State getting a hard hat tour of the new hockey arena they’ll be selling. (L to R): Joe Battista, PSU Associate Athletic Director - Ice Arena & Hockey Development; James Dowdall, IMG LF Account Executive; Brad Sexton, General Manager; Micki Ford, IMG LF Account Executive; Noah Volain, IMG LF Account Executive; Lauren King, IMG LF Account Executive.

5. 50 Winston-Salem team members enjoyed pancakes and sausage at the Twin City Kiwanis Pancake Jamboree.

6. Ben Sutton congratulates Gene Deckerhoff (left) Voice of the Florida State Seminoles) and Bill Hillgrove (right) Voice of the Pitt Panthers), who together tally more than 75 years of play-by-play experience.

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