USF adds staff and service and retention duties in Aspire contract renewal

ATLANTA, GA – The University of South Florida Department of Athletics (USF) has agreed to renew its ticket sales contract with The Aspire Sport Marketing Group which will include staff additions and increased responsibilities focused on service and retention. 

The partnership to date has resulted in $2.5 million in ticket revenue and multiple double- and triple-digit percent increases in overall revenue and tickets sold across eight sports since 2016.

With its primary responsibility of new ticket sales, the Bulls Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) has sold over 46,000 group tickets, 4,600 new season tickets and 1,700 flex plans since Aspire arrived on campus.

“I was very pleased with the significant attendance growth we experienced this past year and the instrumental role that our Aspire teammates played in that growth,” said USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly. “We look forward to reaching new heights in the coming year with Aspire.”

“We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with USF,” said Founder & Chairman of The Aspire Group Bernie Mullin. “It’s very exciting to be play a part in the strategic vision that Michael Kelly and the rest of the leadership team have for the department and to support them in fulfilling their commitment to growing and servicing the Bulls ever-expanding community.”

USF is one of 13 extensions and 17 partners to increase the scope of work with Aspire in 2018. 

About USF Athletics

USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men’s and women’s teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls’ athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 53rd season in 2018-19. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 16 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including at least three in each of the last three seasons, and own 113 conference championships overall. Nine USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2017-18 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the third straight year in 2017-18 and have posted a program record eight straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has seen more than 200 student-athletes earn their degree in the last two years.

About The Aspire Group 

The Aspire Group is a sports and entertainment marketing firm that is globally recognized for innovative consulting, ticketing and partnership services. Aspire created the outsourced ticket sales niche, revolutionizing intercollegiate athletics with the first Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) at Georgia Tech in 2009. Over the past decade, more than 230 collegiate and professional sports properties have trusted Aspire to drive revenue, attendance and enterprise-value growth through the combination of strategic consulting and research services, data insights and best-in-industry fan relationship management.

 For inquiries, contact A.J. Smith at 404-389-9100 or aj.smith@theaspiregroupinc.com.