ROCHESTER, Mich. — Oakland University Athletics and Van Wagner today announced a long-term partnership in which Van Wagner will serve as the exclusive multimedia rights representative for the Golden Grizzlies and lead corporate partnerships, sponsorship sales,and revenue-generating initiatives.
"Oakland University Athletics is excited to partner with Van Wagner on its multimedia rights," said Oakland Athletics Director Steve Waterfield. "Van Wagner has decades of proven, successful experience in strengthening and expanding numerous Division I institutions' corporate partnerships, sponsorship sales, and other revenue-generating programs. Throughout the evaluation process, Mike Palisi and the entire Van Wagner team impressed with their approaches to working with intercollegiate programs, documented revenue-generating successes, and ideas on how best to position and leverage Oakland Athletics' multimedia rights in the current, future, and changing landscape of college athletics. We look forward to working with Van Wagner as we continue to elevate Golden Grizzlies Athletics."
Through the partnership, Van Wagner will oversee Oakland Athletics' corporate partnership program, including sponsorship sales, marketing, activation, and fulfillment. Working closely with Oakland's athletics leadership, Van Wagner will develop customized, integrated opportunities that connect businesses with the University's students, alumni, fans and surrounding communities.
"Oakland has everything we look for in a partner: a nationally recognized athletic director in Steve Waterfield, a coach in Greg Kampe who has become the longest-tenured head coach in Division I basketball and the face of one of the sport's great sustained success stories, a department that regularly wins the Horizon League's all-sports trophy, and student-athletes who perform in the classroom as well as they do in competition," said Mike Palisi, President, Van Wagner College. "We're honored to join the Golden Grizzlies family and put our full weight behind growing this program."
Van Wagner currently represents Northern Illinois in the Horizon League along with Central Michigan and Western Michigan Universities in-state, providing them with a deep understanding of the conference landscape and its unique opportunities.
Van Wagner will leverage its national resources, industry relationships, and extensive experience in collegiate athletics to strengthen Oakland's existing partnerships while identifying new opportunities across traditional and emerging categories. The partnership will focus on creating meaningful value for both Oakland Athletics and its corporate partners through strategic, innovative, and measurable marketing platforms.
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 NCAA, MLB, NBA, and international soccer, as well as collegiate multimedia rights and in-venue content production at the world's biggest sporting events. For more information, visit www.vanwagner.com.
How to Follow Oakland Athletics: For complete information on Oakland University Athletics, follow the department on X at @GoldenGrizzlies. The Golden Grizzlies are also on Instagram.
