University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Athletics and Virtelle Hospitality Agree to Multi-Year Partnership Extension
08.07.2024 | General, Athletics News
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville Athletics and Virtelle Hospitality, the Official Hotel Partner of Bulldog Athletics, have reached a multi-year expansion of their partnership facilitated by UNC Asheville Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company powering college athletics.
The Asheville-based Virtelle Hospitality boasts more than 40 years of experience as a premier hotel management company, currently owning and operating five hotels in the Asheville area.
"We are grateful for our partnership with UNC Asheville Athletics and AD Janet Cone," said Himanshu Karvir, President & CEO of Virtelle Hospitality. "This collaboration strengthens our community ties and exemplifies our shared commitment to excellence. We look forward to supporting the Bulldogs and our vibrant local community."
Virtelle Hospitality's continued support of the Bulldogs provides various partnership assets including premium website visibility, basketball game sponsorship, in-arena digital and static signage, and intellectual property rights.
Additionally, Virtelle has agreed to donate a portion of all bookings at each of their Asheville hotels – including the Element Asheville Downtown, Holiday Inn Express & Suites SW Outlet Center, Holiday Inn Asheville-Biltmore West, Comfort Suites Outlet Center, and Quality Inn Express & Suites Biltmore East – back to the Bulldog Athletic Association Scholarship Fund.
"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Virtelle Hospitality," added Janet R. Cone, Director of Athletics at UNC Asheville. "Their support of UNC Asheville Athletics and the BAA Annual Scholarship Fund has made them invaluable Bulldog Teammates."
UNC Asheville Sports Properties is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for UNC Asheville Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Bulldogs.
About Virtelle Hospitality
Virtelle Hospitality is a distinguished owner and management company in the hospitality industry. With over 50 years of combined experience, our leadership team excels in managing hotel assets for other owners, driving growth, and delivering exceptional guest service. Our commitment to community involvement and elevating the guest experience defines our approach. At Virtelle Hospitality, we blend industry expertise with a community-driven ethos to set new standards in hotel management.
About UNC AshevilleÂ
UNC Asheville is North Carolina's designated public liberal arts and sciences university and one of the 17 excellent, diverse, and accessible institutions of the UNC System. UNC Asheville's relationship-driven education prepares students for lives of leadership and service with an emphasis on critical thinking, clear and thoughtful expression, applied research, community engagement, free and open inquiry, and undergraduate and graduate programs that address the most pressing issues of our time. Through small class sizes, close collaboration, and high-impact experiences, we are preparing the next generation of leaders and productive citizens to serve North Carolina and the nation.
Bulldog Athletics is home to 16 NCAA Division I Sports teams. With more than 30 Big South Conference Championships since moving to Division I, Asheville student-athletes have earned recognition as All-Americans and excel in the classroom and community, regularly earning academic distinctions, and engaging in thousands of combined hours of service.
Learn more about UNC Asheville at www.unca.edu and www.uncabulldogs.com.Â
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading 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.
