Penn State Athletics announced on Thursday afternoon that it has entered into a 15-year rights partnership agreement with Playfly Sports. According to the press release, Playfly will be “responsible for driving commercial growth for Penn State Athletics through an expansive variety of channels, including fan engagement, content creation, premium game day programming, and the development of new partnerships, events and experiences, and fan data activations.”
Playfly will operate in place of Learfield, Penn State’s longtime multimedia rights holder for more than two decades. Penn State and Learfield had recently gone to federal court over the university’s intentions to change rights holders. Learfield claimed Penn State violated its request for proposals process in awarding the bid to Playfly, which the university denied.
Thursday’s release did not state when the new agreement will begin, but court filings indicated that Penn State was hopeful for its new rights agreement to begin in the June of 2024.
As of early 2024, Playfly lists USC, Nebraska, Maryland and Michigan State as partners within the new-look Big Ten.
“Penn State Athletics is synonymous with excellence and boasts one of the most fervent fan bases in the country,” said Christy Hedgpeth, President of Playfly Sports Properties. “Pat Kraft has an innovative, ambitious vision for the future of Penn State Athletics and its value to the University. We are eager to lock arms with Pat and his team to actualize the concept of a true enterprise strategy. By leveraging our diverse range of services and fan-focused mindset, we will help Penn State deepen fan relationships and cultivate new revenue streams.”
In additional to traditional broadcast services, Playfly says it is undergoing the creation of a podcast network, as well as establishing membership-based services for fans centered around game day experiences.
“This wide-ranging partnership marks a new chapter for Penn State as a leader in the ever-changing collegiate landscape,” said Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft. “We are proud to partner with a Pennsylvania-based company which has demonstrated it has the experience, expertise and passion to tap into Penn State’s athletics ecosystem on a level that has never been done before.”
Playfly is based out of Berwyn in Chester County, just west of Philadelphia.
