The UCLA Athletic Department reached an agreement with ISP
Sports that will provide the company with multimedia rights to
Bruin Athletics starting next July. The partnership will give UCLA
an annual rights fee along with further considerations based upon
revenue generated by ISP. It will include the sales and marketing
opportunities associated with UCLA sports, although certain items
will be added at a later date. The group will start managing and
producing the university’s official athletic Web site, as
well as all signs and game promotions at university athletic events
when the partnership begins. “Partnering with a third party
for our media and corporate rights broke new ground for UCLA, so it
was important to be methodical and comprehensive in our
analysis,” UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said in a
statement. Print advertising and the management of various athletic
department publications, such as game programs, will be included in
the partnership the following year. Broadcast rights for radio and
television will be added to the agreement at a later date as well.
UCLA is the 19th major NCAA athletic program to align itself with
ISP Sports and the first on the West Coast. “Our
company’s growth to this point has not included partnerships
on the West Coast, but it has long been a part of our plan to do
so,” ISP Sports president and CEO Ben Sutton said in a
statement.
AROUND THE NFL: Former UCLA running back
DeShaun Foster will miss the next six to 10 weeks of the NFL season
with a broken collarbone. The Carolina Panther running back has
gained 255 yards on 59 carries so far this season. The injury is a
significant blow to the Panthers, who are currently without top
running back Stephen Davis and No. 3 back Rod Smart because of
injuries.
ACROSS TOWN: Former USC wide receiver Mike
Williams has hired Tony Fleming and Mitch Frankel of Impact Sports
Management to represent him in next April’s NFL draft. The
junior, who was denied the opportunity to compete for the Trojans
because he had hired an agent last year, is expected to be a
first-round pick.
A DIFFERENT FIELD: Former Bruin linebacker
Robert Thomas, a Butkus Award candidate, in 2002 has formed
Thomas’ Team, a St. Louis organization that takes local
hospital children on outings where they can enjoy themselves. In
his second year with the Rams, he has still dedicated impressive
amounts of time taking the children out to eat or to the
movies.
Compiled by Andrew Finley, Bruin sports senior
staff.