PULLMAN, Wash. / BERWYN, Pa. (May 15, 2025) – Washington State University Athletics and Playfly Sports, the sports industry’s leading revenue maximization company, today announced a 10-year multimedia rights and outbound ticket sales and service agreement set to begin on July 1, 2025. The dual-rights structure is designed to unlock new levels of innovation, efficiency, and long-term growth for Cougar Athletics.
Through this integrated partnership, Playfly Sports will manage WSU’s multimedia rights as well as outbound ticket sales, through Playfly Aspire, across Cougar Athletics’ traditional and premium inventory. The unified strategy aims to elevate brand partnerships, community engagement, and fan experiences while supporting the Cougar Athletic Fund.
“This transformative partnership with Playfly Sports represents the next step into a new era for Cougar Athletics,” said Washington State Director of Athletics Anne McCoy. “Playfly’s relationship-first approach aligns with our values and their expertise and innovation make them an ideal long-term partner. Their focus on the future of college athletics, as well as their ability to leverage their resources to tell our story, will allow us to build deeper relationships with fans and sponsors while generating sustainable revenue to help support our student-athletes and programs.”
Playfly will lead the sales, cultivation, and activation of corporate sponsorships at both local and national levels and secure naming rights for select athletic venues. Playfly will also oversee WSU’s 20-station Cougar Sports Radio Network, which reaches fans from Alaska to Oregon and across Washington and British Columbia, Canada.
Playfly’s outbound ticket sales strategy will focus on increasing season and individual ticket purchases, driving group sales, and maximizing retention by building strong relationships with the Cougar fanbase. The Playfly Aspire team in Pullman will also support philanthropic initiatives and generate incremental giving to the Cougar Athletic Fund.
“This partnership is about unlocking transformational growth for the Next Chapter of Washington State Athletics,” said Christy Hedgpeth, President of Playfly Sports Properties. “Together, we’re bringing a modern mindset to maximize untapped resources and drive sustainable revenue. From enhancing the fan journey in Pullman to engaging Coug fans across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, we’ll help WSU think like a media company and activate its national brand 365 days a year.”
Playfly Sports currently partners with more than 65 collegiate athletic departments nationwide. Washington State becomes the sixth university to integrate both multimedia rights and ticketing services under Playfly’s management.
CONTACT:
Bill Stevens
Senior Associate AD, Strategic Communications
Washington State Athletics
(E) wsstevens@wsu.edu
Kyle Gurganious
Director, Marketing and Communications
Playfly Sports
(E) kyle.gurganious@playfly.com
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ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE ATHLETICS
Washington State University Athletics sponsors 17 NCAA Division I athletic programs, with nearly 200 coaches and staff members supporting our 500 student-athletes. WSU provides a world-class education, ensuring student-athletes are cared for as students, athletes, and people, leaving Pullman prepared for life after graduation. Today, WSU sponsors men’s teams competing in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and indoor and outdoor track. WSU women’s programs include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track, rowing, swimming, soccer, tennis and volleyball. WSU has been a proud member of the prestigious Pac-12 Conference for more than a century.
ABOUT PLAYFLY SPORTS
Playfly Sports, the sports industry’s leading revenue maximization company drives growth for its partners across the sports ecosystem – including 2,000+ brands, 100+ professional teams, 65+ college athletic departments, all U.S. local sports networks and associated streaming platforms, and other marquee properties. Its fan engagement platform allows its partners to reach and engage over 85% of all U.S sports fans. Playfly builds and implements custom strategies across media, sponsorship, premium experiences, ticketing and fan engagement offerings through proprietary data, innovative technology and compelling storytelling. Playfly operates an expansive portfolio of services with a data-driven and fan-focused approach to maximize revenue yield in key growth areas, such as media, sponsorship, ticketing, premium experiences and fan engagement offerings. Founded in September of 2020, Playfly Sports is now home to approximately 1,000 team members located across 43 U.S. states and internationally dedicated to maximizing the impact of highly passionate local sports fans. The company has been named a Best Place to Work in Sports by Sports Business Journal, Front Office Sports, and Newsweek. To learn more, follow Playfly Sports on social media platforms or visit www.Playfly.com
