ARLINGTON, Texas – Collegiate marketer Learfield has named John Finch general manager for Maverick Sports Properties, its on-campus team solely dedicated to representing University of Texas at Arlington Athletics.
Finch comes to UTA having most recently served in a similar capacity for TCU’s athletics multimedia rightsholder, IMG Sports Marketing, where he was an account executive for three years. While representing the Horned Frogs, Finch gained significant experience in the collegiate sales and sponsorship marketing landscape and had daily interaction with the athletics administrators. Prior to TCU, he was with Stryker Sustainability Solutions as an associate sales representative within the Metroplex and as an endoscopic specialist for Stryker Endoscopy in Fort Worth and Houston. Finch was a three-time letterwinner football long snapper for Purdue University, where he earned a B.S. degree in economics with a communication minor and focus on management and entrepreneurship.
Finch immediately becomes Learfield’s primary contact for UTA Director of Athletics Jim Baker and his administration as Maverick Sports Properties oversees the university’s comprehensive athletics rights including venue signage; event sponsorships and promotion; corporate hospitality; television; digital engagement and visibility via UTAMavs.com and broadcasts and coaches’ shows on the UT Arlington Sports Network. Concurrent with this move, Josh White, Finch’s predecessor, transitions to a senior manager of business development position with Learfield’s team at SMU. White has led Maverick Sports Properties since 2015 having spent six years prior with Spurs Sports & Entertainment in San Antonio.
“We are excited to have John join our talented administrative team,” said Baker. “Under Learfield, UTA athletics has made significant progress toward becoming one of Arlington’s signature sports marketing properties. I have every confidence it will continue to thrive under John’s leadership.”signature sports marketing properties. I have every confidence it will continue to thrive under John’s leadership.”
“John is a terrific individual with solid sales and sports sponsorship experience from an excellent institution and know he’ll be an asset to our overall goal of helping to broaden the brand of UTA Athletics,” said Learfield Vice President Chris Kingston. “Of course he needs no introduction to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, so he’s ready to go and we’re happy to have him lead Maverick Sports Properties. Josh has done a tremendous job here and we expect nothing less as he joins our team at SMU.”
An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide. In addition to UTA, it manages the multimedia and sponsorship rights for more than 120 collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas, and supports athletic departments at all competitive levels as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup. Learfield also provides its collegiate partners access to professional concessions and ticket sales; branding, licensing and trademark consulting; digital and social platform expertise; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies.