News
Aspire and Pepperdine Athletics announce multi-year partnership
March 7, 2017
The Aspire Group announced an outsourced ticketing partnership with the Pepperdine University Athletics Department to build an on-campus Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMCSM) in Malibu, California. Aspire’s 5th California-based FRMCSM will support all ticketed sports and provide best-in-industry customer service to both valued season ticket holders and members of the Pepperdine community. 
“We believe our new strategic partnership with The Aspire Group will strengthen the Pepperdine Waves brand in the community and lead to increased fan engagement through a data-driven and more targeted approach to sales and marketing,” Pepperdine Director of Athletics Dr. Steve Potts said. “These deeper fan relationships, coupled with our existing top-tier marketing and communications staff, will enhance the game-day experience for our student-athletes, faculty, staff and fans.”
“We are thrilled to have Pepperdine join the Aspire family,” said Bill Duffy, CEO of The Aspire Group. “Aspire is well-versed in the Southern California market. We look forward to utilizing that expertise, as well as our experience from our other 30 FRMCs across the globe, to provide Pepperdine fans with the excellent customer service they deserve.”
Tony Garrett, Regional VP of Fan Relationship Management, will serve as the liaison between Aspire and Pepperdine Athletics. Garrett currently oversees all Aspire’s California FRMCSMs, including the University of California – Irvine, Long Beach State, University of California – Riverside, and Santa Clara University.
Pepperdine is Aspire’s 10th partner of 2017. In 2016, Aspire added 32 new partners to its portfolio of over 190 professional and collegiate properties, generating over $200 million in ticket and related donation revenue globally.
About Pepperdine Athletics
Since making the move to Malibu in 1972, Pepperdine University’s intercollegiate athletics program has carved out a unique niche that is perhaps unmatched by its NCAA Division I counterparts. No school with an undergraduate enrollment the size of Pepperdine has achieved such across-the-board athletics success during the past 30-plus years. Pepperdine has won NCAA Division I team championships in five different men’s sports – one of just 17 schools to accomplish this feat — and nine overall. Of that elite group, Pepperdine is the only school not affiliated with a major conference and is by far the smallest in terms of enrollment. Pepperdine has won a total of 25 team or individual national championships. Pepperdine is classified as an NCAA Division I-AAA school (Division I schools that do not sponsor football), and the Waves are one of the very best of their kind. Entering the 2016-17 school year, Pepperdine had won 194 regular-season or tournament conference titles and had 297 student-athletes earn All-American honors.
About The Aspire Group
The Aspire Group is a global sports and entertainment marketing firm specializing in providing our partners with the most innovative ticket marketing, sales and service solutions in the sport industry. Aspire created the Ticket Marketing, Sales & Service (TiMSSSM) niche, revolutionizing the Intercollegiate Athletics space with the first Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMCSM) at Georgia Tech in 2009. Over 190 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 more information, visit www.theaspiregroupinc.com.
For inquiries, contact:
A.J. Smith: 404-389-9100 or aj.smith@theaspiregroupinc.com