Cleveland State University Sets Records, Extends Partnership with Aspire

(ATLANTA, GA) – Cleveland State University (CSU) and The Aspire Group (Aspire) have agreed to a multi-year extension of their long-standing ticket sales & service partnership. Under the guidance of Max Branstein, the Cleveland State FRMC is on its fastest ever revenue generation pace in Fiscal Year 2023.

Since arriving on-site in 2017, Aspire’s Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) has provided innovative marketing, insightful analytics, and industry-leading customer service on behalf of Vikings Athletics while maximizing ticket and donation revenue. Aspire’s Strategy team has supported the Vikings with enhanced research efforts, surveying men’s basketball fans to identify experiential pain points, optimal tip-off times, and sensitivity to price points.

“Our partnership with Aspire has been very impactful, increasing attendance and enhancing service to our ticket buyers,” said Cleveland State Director of Athletics, Scott Garrett. “We look forward to continuing to work strategically with the Aspire team, including our on-site manager, Max Branstein, to reach new heights in donor engagement and ticket sales.”

“We’d like to thank Scott Garrett and Cleveland State Athletics for their continued support of The Aspire Group,” said Justin Morelli, Aspire’s Regional Director of Sales and Service. “It has been a true team effort growing and serving the Viking fanbase alongside Chelsea Blakely, Carrie Neville, and the entire CSU Athletics team.”

About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964 and located in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for engaged learning to nearly 16,000 students. Cleveland State Athletics sponsors 18 Division I teams, in addition to the newly created co-ed esports program. The Vikings men’s basketball team has won a total of nine conference championships, including three tournament titles, most recently in 2021 as a member of the Horizon League.

The Aspire Group

The Aspire Group is an award winning sports and entertainment marketing firm, named as a top employer in the industry by both Forbes and Front Office Sports. Globally recognized for innovative consulting, ticket sales, and partnership services, Aspire created the outsourced ticket sales niche, revolutionizing with its first Fan Relationship Management Center (FRMC) at Georgia Tech in 2009. Over the past 14 years, more than 280 collegiate and professional sports properties have trusted Aspire to drive revenue, attendance, and enterprise-value growth through the combination of strategic consulting and research, sales and service training, and best-in-industry fan relationship management.

For more information about The Aspire Group visit: www.theaspiregroupinc.com and Follow us on Twitter @theaspire_group

For project and partnership inquiries, contact A.J. Smith at aj.smith@theaspiregroupinc.com or Joe Kronander at joe.kronandeer@theaspiregroupinc.com