University of Utah Athletics, JMI Sports Announce a Decade-Long Multimedia Rights Partnership

New alliance is committed to setting new standards in collegiate athletics partnerships, ensuring that the Utah Athletics’ legacy of excellence continues to thrive on and off the field 

Salt Lake City, UT (May 1, 2024) – Today, University of Utah Athletics and JMI Sports are thrilled to announce the establishment of a 10-year multimedia rights partnership set to commence on July 1, 2024. The transition to JMI Sports, a leading media rights and venue development company, represents an important step forward for Utah as they move to the Big 12 and position themselves to thrive in the conference.

“This is an important partnership for the University of Utah as we enter into a new era in our athletics history,” said Utah Director of Athletics, Mark Harlan. “We are thrilled to join forces with such an innovative company as JMI Sports and CEO Erik Judson, whose leadership and vision align with our aspirations, and position us to grow in this rapidly changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics.”

The partnership will leverage JMI Sports’ extensive expertise in building best-in-class corporate collaborations, with a special focus on celebrating the rich traditions and dynamic future of the University of Utah and its athletics programs. JMI Sports is committed to driving growth and visibility by implementing premium programming, special events, and activations that resonate with fans and stakeholders alike. Additionally, JMI Sports will be highly focused on celebrating the University’s launch into the Big 12 Conference, marking a new era of competition and opportunities.

“Given how competitive the multimedia rights market is right now, we are privileged to be provided the opportunity to partner with the University of Utah Athletics as they continue to evolve into one of the leading athletic programs in the country,” said CEO of JMI Sports, Erik Judson. “The University is on a remarkable trajectory that is supported by great leadership and a tremendous fan base that will help propel this partnership to great heights. Mark Harlan and his team have a bold vision and we are ready to meet their high expectations.”

As Utah becomes a part of the JMI Sports’ portfolio, including University of Kentucky, Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh, University of Georgia, and San Diego State University, this partnership sets the stage for a decade of innovation, growth, and unparalleled success in collegiate sports marketing. While the company already brings a wealth of experience and industry expertise, JMI Sports is assembling a dedicated Salt Lake City team under the stewardship of long-time property lead Matt Smith, to integrate local insights and expertise into their strategies, as well as solidify their commitment to the University of Utah and its community. 

For more information on Utah Athletics, please visit utahutes.com. 

For more information on JMI Sports, a leading media rights and venue development company dedicated to transformative partnerships, please visit jmisports.com.

ABOUT UTAH ATHLETICS

With a long-running reputation as an athlet­ics power, Utah claims 30 team national championships and 123 individual national titles in its history, including 86 in skiing and 32 in women’s gymnastics. Utah, which sponsors 20 NCAA sport programs, joined the Pac-12 Conference in 2011 and will transition to the Big 12 in 2024. The Utes have achieved a score of 93-percent or higher in the NCAA’s annual Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for six consecutive years, including a GSR of 94-percent in the 2023 report, tying for the fourth-highest rate among all power conference public institutions, and tying the second-highest score in department history.

Seven Utah teams combined to claim a school-record 10 conference titles in 2022-23—a total that included six Pac-12 crowns, two Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (regular season and championship meet) and two ASUN (lacrosse regular season and conference tournament). Director of Athletics Mark Harlan was named a 2023 Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year award from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Learn more about the University of Utah at utah.edu and about Utah Athletics at utahutes.com.

ABOUT JMI SPORTS

JMI Sports is a leading media rights and venue development company that provides management of collegiate multimedia rights, sponsorship sales agency representation, and project management expertise for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities. The company serves to maximize each client’s economic potential through customized initiatives, from marketing and branding solutions to facility design strategies. 

JMI Sports’ signature collegiate multimedia rights partnerships include the University of Kentucky, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard University, DePaul University, Columbia University, San Diego State University, University of California at San Diego, and joint-venture properties of the University of Georgia (with Learfield), and University of Notre Dame (with Legends). JMI Sports also represents multimedia rights for several conferences, including the Ivy League, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Patriot League and the Atlantic 10, and serves as third-party sales representation for premier sports properties, venues and events, including the Breeders’ Cup, Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, and the Penn Relays. 

JMI Sports was founded in 2006 by CEO Erik Judson and technology entrepreneur John Moores, former owner of the San Diego Padres. 

To learn more, contact pr@jmisports.com