University of Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham announced Wednesday the creation of Cincy Sports Partners, a new organization that will serve as an internal sponsorship team focused on connecting our community and growing our university through brand partnerships.
Cincinnati Bear cats the radio will be home by July 2025
Beginning July 1, 2025, the Cincinnati Athletics will bring in-house multimedia rights representation (MMR). The Bearcats will refuse to use an exclusive third party and will sell their sponsorships directly, such as:
Student-athlete NILUUnique fan experiencesRadio broadcastsLocal and national advertisingArena and stadium signageDigital marketing and storytelling
“We are excited about this opportunity to bring our partners closer to our athletics department, allowing us to align their commercial practices while supporting our 450 student-athletes,” Cunningham said. “Cincy Sports Partners fits a professional model that allows you to be bold and innovative in the evolving landscape of college athletics.
“We are open for business at all levels, including creating unique opportunities for student-athlete NIL endorsements, technology advancements, student experiences/Co-Ops and career development, and other benefits of being affiliated with a top university in the region. Cincy Sports Partners will be a real revenue engine for our department.”
What is Cincy Sports Partners?
The new unit (appropriately named Cincy Sports Partners) will report through an External Affairs team led by Associate Athletics Director and Chief Revenue Officer Anthony Di Fino and Associate Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer John Daniel. The radio rights have been held by iHeart Media for several years.
“We have built an internal culture that demands excellence and demonstrates world-class effort and execution in everything we do,” said Di Fino. “Our partners must share our vision to impact the lives of our student-athletes, and we must fulfill this commitment to enhance and grow their brands alongside our C-Claw. By working directly with the Department, we believe in a tailored and seamless opportunity to increase our community impact and value in the marketplace.
Cincinnati Athletics will continue to engage with Learfield on select collaborative efforts, which may include Fanbase data services, Fan365 digital marketing solutions, national partnership opportunities and integrated website and technology offerings. Details of the arrangement will be announced later.
For more information about the partnership
For those interested in becoming a Cincinnati Athletics partner, please contact Anthony Di Fino. difinoaf@uc.edu.