The strategic partnership between drive21, a leader in experiential design and marketing solutions, and Van Wagner, a prominent collegiate athletics marketing agency, is poised to significantly impact the collegiate sports marketing landscape. This collaboration is designed to enhance in-venue branding and fan engagement, offering universities innovative approaches to their sports facilities and marketing strategies.
As the preferred experiential graphic design and implementation provider for Van Wagner's collegiate clients, drive21 will provide advantageous pricing and access to its comprehensive suite of services. This partnership is expected to create immersive environments that not only resonate with audiences but also drive tangible business results, bridging the gap between brand aspirations and reality.
Warren Godridge, drive21's Founder and President, highlighted the partnership's potential to transform sports and entertainment venues into impactful marketing tools. The collaboration with Van Wagner is anticipated to ensure a consistent brand experience across all venues, thereby enhancing value for brands, universities, and fans alike.
One of the partnership's innovative aspects is its focus on maximizing partnership, sponsorship, and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities. John Libro, Head of Sports and Entertainment at drive21, pointed out that traditional approaches often miss these potential revenue streams. The collaboration aims to redefine experiential design, turning collegiate athletic facilities into dynamic tools for revenue generation and fan engagement.
A notable feature of this partnership is the novel approach to NIL revenue streams, where a portion of facility expenditure can be redirected to universities' NIL efforts. This strategy allows institutions to enhance the experience for athletes and fans while creating environments that support athletic performance and brand partnerships.
Mark Donley, Chief Revenue Officer at Van Wagner College, praised drive21's capability to integrate brand experiences into facilities, calling it a "game-changer" for their clients. The partnership ensures university clients receive drive21's expertise at an advantageous rate, guaranteeing a high-quality and consistent experience across various initiatives.
The partnership has already demonstrated its potential through a major project at Florida International University, where it facilitated the brand implementation of the newly named Pitbull Stadium. This project showcases the transformative power of experiential design and strategic branding in collegiate sports, setting a precedent for future endeavors.
This collaboration between drive21 and Van Wagner marks a pivotal development in the collegiate sports industry. By leveraging drive21's expertise in experiential design and Van Wagner's established presence in collegiate athletics marketing, the partnership is set to redefine branding, fan engagement, and revenue generation in university sports programs. As institutions increasingly seek innovative solutions to enhance their athletic facilities and engage with fans, this partnership offers a comprehensive approach that could establish new industry standards.
For more information, visit https://www.drive21.com.


