University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Athletics Extends Long-Term Strategic Revenue Partnership with Learfield
07.16.2026 | General
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville Athletics today announced a 10-year extension of its multimedia rights partnership with Learfield, the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its dedicated team at UNC Asheville Sports Properties, Learfield will continue as the Bulldogs' strategic revenue generation and sponsorship solutions partner, extending a relationship that began in 2014.
"Bulldog corporate partners play a critical role in the support of our student-athletes and enhancing the UNC Asheville fan experience. Through our long-standing relationship with Learfield, we are able to provide our partners with industry-leading expertise, strengthen affinity with our fanbase, and provide dedicated local resources focused on providing solutions for their brands. I am confident that Learfield shares our vision to 'Dream Big, Achieve More' in the years to come," said Janet R. Cone, Director of Athletics at UNC Asheville.
The long-term renewal builds on more than a decade of sustained growth and collaboration between UNC Asheville Athletics and Learfield, highlighted by record-breaking corporate partnership revenue generated by UNC Asheville Sports Properties during the 2025-26 athletic season. The property also renewed over 90% of its corporate partnerships during the past season, the highest retention rate in the property's history.
The extension also comes as UNC Asheville Athletics unlocks the jersey patch partnership opportunity for the Bulldogs' 16 varsity programs. The centerpiece asset, coupled with additional assets available through UNC Asheville Sports Properties, such as digital marketing services, NIL activation, storytelling video content, and school intellectual property integration, jersey patch sponsorship provides the most lucrative opportunity ever to create authentic connections with the most passionate fanbase there is – college sports fans.
"Janet and the UNC Asheville Athletics program have been exceptional partners over the last decade as we've built a foundation of trust, shared goals, and a consistent track record of delivering results," said Meghan Heinchon, Executive Vice President of Sports Properties at Learfield. "Dan Dial's tenure leading UNC Asheville Sports Properties — now entering its fifth season — reflects the kind of continuity and institutional knowledge that makes a real difference for the Bulldogs and their partners. We look forward to bringing the full ecosystem of Learfield's resources in service of UNC Asheville, our brand partners, and the Western North Carolina community."
As part of the continued partnership, UNC Asheville will deepen its use of Learfield's enterprise-wide solutions, including Fanbase, the most comprehensive fan data infrastructure in college athletics, and Fan365, Learfield's programmatic digital sponsorship and marketing platform, by enabling greater data accessibility through industry-leading websites, mobile apps, and streaming services. The multimedia rights team and UNC Asheville Athletics staff will tap into demographic, geographic, and profile data metrics to better target Bulldog fans and maximize brand partnership opportunities.
The Bulldogs also continue to work with CLC, Learfield's licensed merchandise partner, and digital platform provider SIDEARM Sports as part of the company's integrated suite of services.
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.
