LAFAYETTE, La. – Learfield announced today that two University of Louisiana alumni, Brian Bille and Patrick Judice, have been appointed general manager and manager-business development respectively to lead the collegiate marketer’s locally based team solely dedicated to representing the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Bille and Judice collectively bring nearly 30 years of sales, marketing, digital expertise and business acumen to Learfield’s brand-new Ragin’ Cajuns Sports Properties team. As the university’s athletics multimedia rights holder concurrent with the 2018-19 season, Ragin’ Cajuns Sports Properties will work alongside the athletics administration to manage signage, digital, television and radio broadcasts and coaches’ shows, and further develop the corporate partner platform.
“We are excited to add Brian and Patrick as members of our Ragin’ Cajuns Sports Properties team,” Director of Athletics Dr. Bryan Maggard said. “Their addition will help us continue to promote our unique brand on a local, regional and national level. The new partnership with Learfield supports our objectives of graduating student-athletes and positioning our sport programs to compete for and win championships.”
Raised in Mandeville, Bille has called Lafayette home for over 20 years. He most recently was client strategy director for Gannett in the Gulf Region, having oversight of key accounts across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Prior to that, he was assistant marketing director for Lafayette General Health. Bille also is the former owner and president of Kinetic Marketing, L.L.C., a Lafayette-based digital marketing consulting agency. His prior experience also includes serving with Lafayette companies Schumacher Clinical Partners and Bizzuka. His career start was with Rayne, La.-based Body Masters Sports Industries, Inc., where he served six years as director of marketing.
Judice, a Lafayette native, most recently served over three years as multi-media marketing consultant for USA Today/The Daily Advertiser overseeing marketing campaigns for over 30 different businesses. Before that, he worked with Vector Graphics & Zoom Digital in which a marquee project included a major animation campaign for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns master plan. Judice also is the former marketing and operations manager for golf equipment company Belly Putt, Inc.
“We’re excited to represent the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, and we couldn’t be more pleased to hit the ground running with Brian and Patrick who already share a great affinity for the university and Lafayette,” said Learfield Vice President Tim Utrup.
An industry leader for more than four decades, Learfield has a deep presence in the college athletics landscape nationwide managing nearly 130 collegiate relationships across the country. It also 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; campuswide business and sponsorship development; and venue and technology systems through its affiliated companies.
*Photos by Brad Kemp/Ragincajuns.com