Virginia Tech Athletics and its multimedia rightsholder, LEARFIELD’s Virginia Tech Sports Properties, has announced a renewed relationship with CMG Leasing, the exclusive student housing partner of the Hokies.
At its core, the enhanced multi-year sponsorship agreement provides CMG Leasing with category exclusivity as Virginia Tech Athletics’ official student housing partner. Additionally, the leasing company with more than 15 student housing properties available, now serves as official sponsor of the Cassell Guard student section in Cassell Coliseum.
To complement its new affinity with the home of Hokie basketball, volleyball and wrestling, CMG enters its first-ever NIL integration as part of its sponsorship, working with four student-athletes representing the three sports: Elizabeth Kitley (basketball); Cara Lewis (volleyball); Mekhi Lewis (wrestling) and Justyn Mutts (basketball). Fans can see these student-athletes featured on co-branding inside four of the Cassell Coliseum tunnels. CMG Leasing secured the student-athletes’ NIL through a partnership with Triumph NIL and have worked with other basketball student-athletes such as Ashley Owusu and Sean Pedulla to record radio ads to help promote the CMG brand.
“We’re grateful for CMG Leasing’s continued support of our athletics programs and our student-athletes,” said Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock. “We appreciate their unwavering commitment to innovate and evolve their sponsorship with our Virginia Tech Sports Properties team, who we work alongside to help our partners navigate the ins and outs of NIL and how to stay involved.”
“This is a major step forward for our company, and we couldn’t be more excited about what we have planned,” said CMG Leasing Owner Jeanne Stosser. “We’re excited to extend and grow our sponsorship with Virginia Tech Athletics, and to continue supporting Hokie student-athletes through NIL.”
With its renewed contract, CMG Leasing will be the presenting sponsor of the VIP area adjacent to the student section in Lane Stadium. CMG Leasing will continue to create an enhanced gameday experience for fans by enhancing the student VIP section and providing unique promotional giveaways and contest.
“Incorporating NIL into their sponsorship agreement, like CMG Leasing is doing, can be incredibly valuable for brands, particularly with the student-athletes proudly wearing their uniforms,” said Kyler Pilling, general manager for Virginia Tech Sports Properties, which represents Virginia Tech and CMG Leasing, not student-athletes. “The NIL era is new for us all, but we can work with our sponsors in doing NIL the right way, and of course in complete collaboration with the athletics administration.”
Learfield Sports