Learfield and Tulane Extend Partnership while Naming Steve Stroud General Manager of Tulane Sports Properties

NEW ORLEANS – Learfield and Tulane Athletics announced today the extension of their long-standing partnership while also naming 24-year college athletics veteran Steve Stroud as the new General Manager of Tulane Sports Properties. Learfield serves as the exclusive multimedia rightsholder for Tulane University Athletics. Learfield is also the parent company of the Green Wave’s digital ticket and marketing platform provider, Paciolan, digital solutions leader, SIDEARM Sports, and licensed merchandise agency, CLC.

Stroud brings a combination of vast industry experience and significant local knowledge to the Tulane Sports Properties team having held revenue generation and fundraising roles at six different athletic departments since beginning his professional career, with the last five years coming on the lakefront at the nearby University of New Orleans.

“Our relationship with Learfield is vital to the success of the department, as a whole,” said Ben Weiner Director of Athletics David Harris. “I want to thank Mike Haake and his staff as we extend this partnership, one that has proven fruitful for the Green Wave for many years. We are also excited to welcome Steve on board as Tulane Sports Properties’ General Manager,” said Harris. “His wealth of experience within the collegiate athletics landscape, not to mention that of New Orleans itself, will benefit Tulane Athletics greatly.”

Through the contract extension between the Green Wave and Learfield, Tulane Sports Properties now unlocks various new partnership opportunities for brand partners including additional naming rights and other key sponsorship inventory.

Stroud arrives in Uptown after serving as Assistant Vice President and Deputy Athletics Director at UNO, where he led all revenue generation units as well as human resources and contract services. His previous stops in revenue generation roles included Troy University (2014-19), College of Charleston (2011-14), and University of Missouri-Kansas City (2009-10). His college athletics career got off the ground in fundraising, spending two years at the University of Miami (2000-02) before moving to the University of Memphis (2003-07).

“Steve brings incredible experience in the college sports landscape and a local knowledge of the New Orleans business community that make him a perfect fit for the GM role at Tulane,” Learfield Vice President of Sports Properties Mike Haake stated. “He will be a great asset as we look to further strengthen the ties between Tulane Athletics, Green Wave fans and our brand partners. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Green Wave for many years to come.”

As general manager, Stroud will serve as the primary Learfield liaison related to the university’s comprehensive athletics multimedia rights agreement and corporate partner platform. He will work closely with Harris and the entire athletics administration on all aspects of the relationship between Learfield and Tulane Athletics. Stroud holds bachelor’s degrees in marketing and finance from the University of Georgia as well as a master’s degree from St. Thomas University.

“I’m delighted to join the Learfield family and to serve Tulane University Athletics,” Stroud said. “The opportunity to work for Learfield, the industry leader in college athletics, comes at a special time as the excitement around Green Wave Athletics is at an all-time high. Being able to stay in New Orleans, where my family has set down roots, was also extremely important for me. I feel extremely fortunate that David and Mike entrusted me with this great opportunity which keeps our family in this wonderful city.”

About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.