Learfield’s Redbird Sports Properties Announces Multi-Year Sponsorship with State Farm® to Include On-Field Logo at Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium

Normal, IL (October 23, 2024) — Learfield’s Redbird Sports Properties, Illinois State Athletics, and State Farm announced a trailblazing sponsorship today, making it one of the earliest programs in college football to include an on-field logo. State Farm will debut its logo on both 25-yard lines at Hancock Stadium starting November 2 when the Redbirds host Youngstown State. This collaboration highlights how State Farm is supporting college athletics and engaging with Redbird fans.

“We are proud of our sponsorship of Illinois State and this collaboration with Learfield,” said Kristyn Cook, Chief Agency, Sales & Marketing Officer, State Farm. “Through this sponsorship we are reaching passionate college sports fans in a new and impactful way.”

“State Farm is an incredible partner, and we are thrilled with this new opportunity to support our football program,” said Dr. Jeri Beggs, Interim Director of Athletics at Illinois State University. “We are focused on delivering incredible experiences for our student-athletics, fans, and alumni, and this partnership elevates our program.”

As a multi-year partner with Illinois State, State Farm supports Redbird athletics through various sponsorship programs across football, men’s and women’s basketball, and Olympic sports. In addition to on-field logos, Illinois State features State Farm branding on television-viewable signage, venue LED screens, digitally on the official athletics website goredbirds.com, and other fan engagement platforms.

“It is exciting to further unite the passion of college football with State Farm to deliver meaningful connections for Redbird fans everywhere,” said Matt Moran, General Manager, Redbird Sports Properties. “We look forward to tapping into new opportunities with our partners that capture the excitement of college sports and fuel fandom.”

“State Farm is an iconic brand with a strong presence in college athletics. Pairing State Farm with Illinois State for this on-field logo sponsorship is a natural fit, and we are excited to continue to work with State Farm to elevate branding opportunities,” said Lori Bland, Vice President, National Partnership Management, Learfield.

Redbird Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company powering college sports – is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Illinois State Athletics and handles all sponsorships, in-venue signage, and advertising on behalf of Illinois State University. The State Farm on-field logo sponsorship was created in collaboration with Redbird Sports Properties and Learfield’s corporate business development team.

About Illinois State University
Over 450 Illinois State student athletes compete in 19 sports, primarily in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds have taken home nine team and individual national championships, hundreds of All-American honors and more than 160 MVC league titles. Led by the award-winning Red Alert student section, fans pack the stands on gameday helping make Illinois State one of the toughest places to play in the Midwest.

About State Farm®
For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

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.