ABILENE – Abilene Christian Sports Properties was named one of four national finalists for LEARFIELD’s NIL (name, image and likeness) Property of the Year, recognizing the innovative work of general manager Marcus Dunn and associate business development manager Kinzie Davis in creating genuine and impactful opportunities for ACU student-athletes and corporate partners.
ACU is the only private, small university finalist, joining Power 4 conference programs Texas Tech, Tennessee and Indiana among the four properties recognized nationally.
“Abilene Christian Sports Properties continues to lead in NIL dealmaking and best practices, creating meaningful opportunities that enhance the Wildcat student-athlete experience while delivering increased fan engagement and measurable value for brand partners,” said Solly Fulp, LEARFIELD executive vice president, sports properties & NIL growth and development. “Their creativity, execution and commitment to NIL leadership continue to set the standard for what’s possible at the mid-major level.”
The recognition comes amid significant growth in LEARFIELD’s NIL business. Over the past year, LEARFIELD reported more than $300 million worth of multimedia rights partnership revenue through NIL, impacting more than 5,000 student-athletes.
Against that national backdrop, the NIL Property of the Year award recognizes LEARFIELD properties that demonstrate leadership in NIL through creativity, execution, student-athlete opportunity, innovation, collaboration, meaningful partner value and property impact.
For ACU Sports Properties, the national finalist recognition reflects a commitment to making NIL a meaningful component of corporate partnerships while creating authentic opportunities for Wildcat student-athletes.
“We’re fortunate to have businesses that believe in our athletes and are willing to invest in creative ideas that create meaningful opportunities for student-athletes while delivering real value for their brands,” said Dunn. “Being recognized nationally reinforces that great ideas and great execution can come from anywhere, and this recognition belongs just as much to our partners and student-athletes as it does to our team.”
As the only small-school finalist, ACU Sports Properties’ recognition demonstrates that impactful NIL partnerships are not limited to the nation’s largest collegiate athletics programs.
The national recognition also underscores the opportunity available to local, regional and national businesses partnering with ACU Athletics. By incorporating NIL into sponsorships, ACU Sports Properties can help brands reach audiences through student-athletes while providing additional avenues for engagement with Wildcat fans.
LEARFIELD’s NIL Property of the Year recognition is designed to highlight teams demonstrating what is possible when creativity, collaboration and innovation come together to create meaningful value for brands, properties and student-athletes.
About Abilene Christian Sports Properties
Abilene Christian Sports Properties is the multimedia rights and corporate partnership organization for Abilene Christian University Athletics. As the local LEARFIELD team representing ACU Athletics, ACU Sports Properties works with businesses and organizations to develop strategic partnerships that connect brands with Wildcat fans, student-athletes and the Abilene community.
Source: acusports.com
