Northwestern-Legends-JMI Sports value-add deal

Article posted by Coliseum, May 9^th, 2025

Image: Northwestern University

The Northwestern University recently announced a partnership with the global premier experiences company Legends and JMI Sports for a new multiyear multimedia rights partnership supporting the new Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois (US), the Northwestern Athletics and the broader Northwestern University campus.

‘nusports.com’ stated that the long-term agreement between the Northwestern and two of the leading sports media rights companies reflects the shared vision of the three entities in elevating the Northwestern brand and Chicago’s (US) position as a sports and entertainment epicenter for the Big Ten Conference (a collegiate athletic Conference in the United States).

The Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois (US) is a comprehensive research university that is deeply interdisciplinary across multiple schools and units. A founding member of the Big Ten Conference the Northwestern University sponsors 21 varsity sport programs with 500 participating student-athletes.

New York (US)-based Legends is a global premium experiences company that works with some of the most iconic and innovative brands in sports and entertainment to deliver exceptional experiences for the fans worldwide. The company offers its partners a 360-degree data and analytics-fueled service solution platform to drive revenue, heighten their brand and execute their vision.

San Diego (US)-based JMI Sports is a leading media rights and venue development company that provides management of collegiate multimedia rights, sponsorship sales agency representation and project management expertise for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities.

The new Ryan Field is a replacement stadium presently under construction for the Northwestern University’s football team – the Northwestern Wildcats (which is a member of the Big Ten Conference) – set to open in 2026 and is being built on the same site as the 47,130-capacity old Ryan Field. The new stadium will feature 35,000 seats, a smaller capacity than the old stadium, but with a steeper, fully covered seating bowl and individual seats along with more premium seating and a state-of-the-art design.

‘nusports.com’ further stated that through this relationship Legends and JMI Sports will maximize the value of the new Ryan Field and Northwestern’s multimedia rights delivering innovative partnerships and enhancing experiences for the Wildcat fans and the larger Chicagoland community.

Exulted Mark Jackson, Combe Family (personal care products company which has strong ties to the Northwestern University) Vice-President for Athletics and Recreation, “We’re thrilled to launch this partnership with Legends and JMI Sports to strengthen our connection with Northwestern’s passionate fanbase and the corporate community. This relationship with dedicated and proven partners will further accelerate the growth of the new Ryan Field helping our mission of delivering a world-class venue for the Northwestern University and the Chicago community.”

The above partnership builds upon the hard work between Northwestern, Legends and JMI Sports surrounding the implementation of the new Ryan Field. As the largest stadium investment in college football history the new Ryan Field will deliver a world-class venue optimized for game days and civic events alike that ultimately redefine the traditional stadium model into a year-round community asset.

Legends and JMI Sports will begin their multimedia rights efforts with the launch of a Founding Partnership plan for the new Ryan Field. Their full complement of multimedia rights efforts for Northwestern Athletics and Northwestern University’s campus will begin in July of 2026.

Observed Erik Judson, head honcho, JMI Sports, “Northwestern is proactively setting a course to address the new landscape of college athletics by investing in the new Ryan Field. Coupled with Northwestern’s innovative approach to managing their athletics enterprise this transformational strategy aligns perfectly with the combined strengths of JMI Sports and Legends.”

Commented Chris Hibbs, President of Global Partnerships, Legends, “Legends is honored to partner with Northwestern to enhance the value of their multimedia rights platform including the new Ryan Field. Northwestern’s rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence, along with a passionate alumni and fanbase and the visionary new Ryan Field, create a compelling opportunity for strategic partnerships. We are excited to collaborate with JMI Sports and Northwestern to leverage our proven expertise in securing premier partnerships to unlock innovative opportunities and generate new revenue opportunities that align with Northwestern’s vision and values.”

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