Hampton, Va. – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association has signed a three-year agreement with Strategic Marketing Affiliates (SMA) as the exclusive licensing agency for the Conference through 2017. SMA was recently purchased by Learfield Sports and will immediately become part of the Learfield family of companies. This is the first time the conference has partnered with an organization to manage the licensing of its 100-plus year old brand.Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
SMA, which also represents five CIAA member-institutions, will provide consulting services to establish the CIAA’s licensing policies, and will launch and manage the CIAA’s comprehensive licensing plan and program designed to become an added revenue stream. SMA will also provide accounting, design and marketing services to maximize the use of the program for CIAA licensees, and will monitor marks and logos for unauthorized use.
“This agreement is the next logical step in the growth of the CIAA’s brand and impact,” said Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams. “We are excited to put a plan in place with that will make working with our brand even easier by providing clear guidelines to those vendors who support our championships and other events.”
Future plans may include the development of a CIAA e-commerce store, where fans will be able to purchase CIAA-branded apparel and more.
“Having a consistent image is critical to the success of any organization,” said Tony Johnson, senior vice president – SMA. “We work with hundreds of schools and conferences to ensure they are maximizing their marks, receiving royalties and addressing the unauthorized use of their image. We look forward to taking the CIAA’s 100-plus year tradition to the next level.”
