University of Portland Athletics and Van Wagner Announce Multi-Year Multimedia Rights Partnership October 19, 2023
NEW YORK (OCTOBER 19, 2023) – The University of Portland Department of Athletics today announced a new, long-term partnership with Van Wagner, a leading collegiate athletics marketing agency. This partnership designates Van Wagner as the exclusive multimedia rights partner and sales agent for the Portland Pilots’ corporate sponsorship program.
Isabel Leonard has been appointed the Van Wagner General Manager for Portland Athletics Sponsorships. A 2020 graduate of the University of Portland, Leonard competed in track and field for the Pilots before earning a master’s degree in Sports Management from Long Beach State. She spent the last year working in development at the University of Southern California.
“We are excited to partner with an industry leader in the multimedia rights space with Van Wagner,” said Scott Leykam, Portland Vice President for Athletics. “We’ve been impressed with Van Wagner’s work with the West Coast Conference and have great confidence that they will enhance our corporate sponsorship programming and activations. It is also exciting to have a former Pilot student-athlete returning to serve in the General Manager role.”
Van Wagner currently represents colleges, universities, conferences, and associations across the United States and has the fastest-growing team in the industry dedicated to collegiate athletics marketing. In its commitment to the University of Portland, Van Wagner will establish a dedicated local team led by Leonard to represent the Portland Pilots in the marketplace. This team will focus on maximizing the value of corporate sponsorship opportunities across various platforms and multimedia assets, including prominent venue signage, broadcast rights and exposure, digital and social media properties, and engagement and activation.
“We are honored to partner with the University of Portland Athletics Department,” said Mike Palisi, President of Van Wagner College. “Our mission is to bring unparalleled value to our partner institutions, and we are excited to integrate new corporate sponsorship programs seamlessly into the Portland Pilots’ athletic program. Scott Leykam, Vice President of Athletics, and I have a long and trusted relationship and I am beyond confident that working with him and his team, we will create innovative opportunities that connect sponsors with passionate fans, alumni, and the community.”
With more than half of the University of Portland’s 37,000 alumni residing in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area, the Portland Pilots have a dedicated and thriving local following. As members of the West Coast Conference, the Pilots compete at the NCAA Division I level across sixteen intercollegiate teams. Van Wagner also exclusively manages the multimedia rights and collegiate athletics marketing for the West Coast Conference and fellow member institution Pepperdine University.
This partnership between the University of Portland Athletics and Van Wagner promises an exciting future for the Portland Pilots, their sponsors, and the vibrant fan community. Together, they will forge new pathways to success, both on and off the field, and usher in an era of innovation and growth.
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ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND:
The University of Portland is an independently governed Catholic university guided by the Congregation of Holy Cross; with a mission focusing on teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership. The University of Portland is ranked #1 among colleges and universities in the American West by U.S. News & World Report. University of Portland athletics is a member of the West Coast Conference and competes at the NCAA Division I level in the following varsity sports: baseball (M), basketball (MW), cross country (MW), rowing (W), soccer (MW), tennis (MW), indoor and outdoor track and field (MW), and indoor and beach volleyball (W). For more information, visit up.edu or PortlandPilots.com.
ABOUT VAN WAGNER:
Van Wagner is a leading sports advertising and entertainment agency, with global expertise in live events, sponsorship sales, multimedia rights and aerial advertising. Van Wagner creates, advises and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands and properties. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA and international soccer, sponsorships sales, college multimedia rights and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. For more information, visit www.vanwagner.com.