Purdue And Aspire Agree To Multi-Year Extension

ATLANTA, GA – The Aspire Group (Aspire), recently acquired by Playfly Sports, and Purdue Athletics (Purdue) have agreed to a multi-year extension to their longstanding partnership. The partnership has produced more than $20 million in ticket sales and donation revenue since Aspire first arrived in West Layfette in 2018. Under the leadership of Meghan King and Joe Kronander the Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) has driven incredible success for Boilermakers athletics and the John Purdue Club (JPC), Purdue’s athletic support non-profit.

During the partnership Purdue has utilized the Aspire Strategy, Analytics, and Marketing (SAM)  team extensively to analyze ticket pricing, better understand the game day experience, and optimize the Boilermaker database. Results of the latest Aspire pricing studies include 40% year-over-year growth in football ticket revenue and $1M in incremental men’s basketball revenue.  

“We are thrilled to continue our successful and innovative relationship with Purdue Athletics. Aspire is grateful for the true partnership in West Lafayette across the John Purdue Club, Boilermaker ticket sales, and NIL engagement.” said Bill Fagan, President and CEO of The Aspire Group. “We value the strong relationship our sales and service team has built with Boilermaker fans and are poised for years of success with veteran leaders at the helm of this partnership.”

Aspire and Purdue have consistently innovated throughout their partnership, hiring Jack Gallagher as the Director of NIL Engagement in 2022 to educate Purdue student-athletes on the rapidly shifting landscape of name, image, and likeness opportunities, while serving as the point of contact for prospective partner brands. Aspire and Purdue have also established a unique donor pod system, in which an in-house major gift officer, an annual giving officer, and a consultant for the John Purdue Club collaborate on campaigns and share donor relationship responsibilities. This pod system has helped to drive over $2.5M to Purdue athletics.

“Our Aspire relationship is a point of pride within the Purdue Athletics Department,” said Purdue Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer Ken Halpin. “We have seen immense collaboration between their fan relationship management center and our own Boilermaker staff. This seamless integration of groups has been achieved by strong leadership and communication, and we look forward to this relationship continuing into the future.”

Purdue University Athletics

Founded in 1869 and located in West Lafayette, Indiana, Purdue University is home to over 37,000 undergraduate students and 601 student-athletes. Purdue fields the following 18 intercollegiate athletic sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling. The Boilermakers compete in the Big Ten Conference, the preeminent collection of institutions of higher education in the nation.

The Aspire Group, a Playfly Sports Company

The Aspire Group, a Playfly Sports Company, is an award winning sports and entertainment marketing firm, named as a top employer in the industry by both Forbes and Front Office Sports. Globally recognized for innovative consulting, ticket sales, and partnership services, Aspire created the outsourced ticket sales niche, revolutionizing with its first Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) at Georgia Tech in 2009. Over the past 15 years, more than 300 collegiate and professional sports properties have trusted Aspire to drive revenue, attendance, and enterprise-value growth through the combination of strategic consulting and research, sales and service training, and best-in-industry fan relationship management.

For more information about The Aspire Group visit: www.theaspiregroupinc.com and follow us on Twitter @theaspire_group

For project and partnership inquiries, contact A.J. Smith at aj.smith@theaspiregroupinc.com or Joe Kronander at joe.kronander@theaspiregroupinc.com