Canisius Athletics & Aspire sign multi-year contract extension

The Canisius Department of Athletics and The Aspire Sport Marketing Group have agreed to a multi-year extension to its outsourced ticket sales contract.

The Canisius Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) is responsible for new ticket sales for men’s and women’s basketball, hockey and men’s lacrosse programs.

“We are pleased to be able to extend our relationship with The Aspire Group,” John Maddock, Canisius’ Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs said. “Over the previous three years, we have seen a sizable step forward in our ticket sales revenue, especially in group-sales efforts. The Aspire Group’s proven sales efforts have been extremely successful as we continue to find new ways to enhance and engage our ticket-buying experience.”

Joe LaVare has served as Canisius’ ticket sales manager since the FRMC’s inception in 2015 and has helped Canisius increase group-ticket sales for men’s hockey and basketball by 214 percent and 176 percent, respectively, and overall ticket revenue by 11 percent. The FRMC also contributed to two men’s basketball sellouts during the 2017-18 season, marking the first season with multiple sellouts since 2013-2014.

“We are eager to continue our partnership with Canisius Athletics and the steady ticket sales growth we have experienced since 2015,” said Bill Fagan, Chief Operating Officer at The Aspire Group. “Canisius’ leadership team, along with the retention of our staff, has been and will remain a critical component to our success in serving Griff fans.”

Canisius is Aspire’s ninth contract extension in 2018.

About Canisius Athletics
Canisius College, a Jesuit institution in Buffalo, N.Y., sponsors 20 NCAA Division I varsity athletic teams that compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), with the exception of ice hockey, which competes in the Atlantic Hockey Association. Under the leadership of Director of Athletics Bill Maher, who took over in 2005, Canisius has won 45 conference or regional championships, with a number of teams producing the best seasons in program history. A total of 72 student-athletes have won conference player or rookie of the year awards, including a program-record 10 in 2017-18. Additionally, Canisius has claimed the Battle of the Bridge and won the Canal Cup in nine of the last 10 seasons (including eight straight), which is an all-sports competition with rival Niagara University.

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.