The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has signed a multimedia rights deal with the athletics division of Auburn University.
The multi-year agreement will see Fox Sports serve as the exclusive multimedia rights and sponsorship representative of the university’s Tigers athletics teams.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, although multiple reports claim the deal will net the university a guaranteed $120m (€109m) over 10 years.
The Fox Sports College Properties division will manage the Tigers' rights, which include athletics-related radio, hospitality packages, in-ground advertising, social media integration, promotional activities and intellectual property rights. Auburn’s multimedia and sponsorship rights had previously been managed by the IMG agency.
“With Fox Sports, we are aligning our strategic goals with a national brand,” Jay Jacobs, director of athletics at Auburn, said. “Auburn will be one of a select group of Power 5 properties operated by Fox Sports. As a flagship property, Auburn will benefit from specialised and personalised treatment.”
Fox Sports’ multimedia rights portfolio already includes the Southern California, Georgetown and Villanova universities, as well as the Big East Conference intercollegiate division.
Fox Sports will look for additional synergies with its regional sports networks, including Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Southeast, which reach 13 million homes throughout Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.