LOUISVILLE, Ky. / CLEVELAND, Oh. (September 22, 2025) – College.town and the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) today announced the launch of CRO.ticker, a new, twice-weekly email newsletter, fueled by Playfly Sports, designed for Chief Revenue Officers, Chief Marketing Officers, heads of External Relations, and anyone within an athletic department responsible for the financial health and brand growth of their institution.
CRO.ticker will deliver curated news, intelligence and inspiration covering the new frontiers of a modern athletic department’s commercial success: revenue and sales strategy, marketing and brand innovation, sponsorship and media rights, the impact of technology on the fan experience and more.
In addition to the newsletter, the partnership will also include the launch of the Margins of Victory podcast. Hosted by Craig Pintens, Athletic Director at Loyola Marymount and NACMA Past President, the podcast will feature in-depth conversations with revenue generators inside and outside of college athletics. The inaugural episode will feature new University of Maryland Athletic Director Jim Smith, who will discuss how he plans to apply lessons from professional sports to generating revenue for the Terrapins. Subscribe to the Margins of Victory podcast here or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
“The business of college athletics has never been more complex, and leaders need sharp, actionable intelligence to navigate the path forward,” said Matt Roberts, CEO & Founder of College.town. “Our mission in launching CRO.ticker is to equip administrators with the critical insights they need to drive revenue and build sustainable, successful programs. This newsletter is a direct reflection of that commitment, and we believe it will quickly become an indispensable resource for the entire industry.”
The inaugural issue of CRO.ticker will be delivered tomorrow Tuesday, Sept. 23.
“Revenue maximization is the heart of what we do at Playfly Sports. Joining forces with College.town to launch CRO.Ticker is one of the easiest decisions I’ve had to make,” said President of Playfly Sports Properties, Christy Hedgpeth. “Playfly is here to accelerate growth for its school partners, and to build innovative and sustainable revenue streams as a foundation to growth.”
“NACMA is thrilled to partner with the team at College.town to launch CRO.ticker,” said NACMA President and Assistant Vice President/Deputy Athletics Director at Fairfield University Zach Dayton. “NACMA is committed to being a leader in our industry while providing the innovative tools, training and resources needed to succeed, especially in an industry that is changing rapidly. The intent of CRO.ticker is to provide information that has real value directly to your inbox in the areas of revenue generation, brand management and fan development from resources both inside and outside of college athletics.”
To subscribe to CRO.ticker or for more information, please visit wearecollegetown.com/croticker.
College.town is the leading digital media company dedicated to providing news, intelligence, and career resources for professionals in the college athletics industry. Through its suite of newsletters, including the flagship D1.ticker, College.town delivers timely and relevant information to a curated audience of the most influential leaders and decision-makers in college sports.
NACMA provides the tools, training and network for collegiate sports marketers to successfully generate revenue, manage brands, and develop fans. NACMA is committed to providing education and resources for its members to be leaders in fostering inclusive environments for our student-athletes, colleagues and fans..
XXX
ABOUT COLLEGE.TOWN
College.town is the premier professional resources and intelligence hub for leaders and professionals in collegiate athletics, unifying a comprehensive portfolio of trusted brands including D1.ticker, CollegeSports.jobs, AthleticDirectorU, D1.dossiers, and PinnacleCollegiate. Formerly Drive & Company, College.town is dedicated to powering the people who power college sports by providing essential news, career opportunities, professional development, strategic insights, and a connected community. Our purpose is to identify solutions that create and bring value to deal makers, policy makers and C-suite administrators across higher education.
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
