DALLAS – Learfield announced today two staff changes at the collegiate marketer’s on-campus team solely dedicated to representing SMU Athletics.
Josh White has been promoted to general manager for Learfield’s Mustang Sports Properties. He joined the SMU team in 2017 as senior manager-business development. Prior to that, he served two years as general manager for Learfield’s Maverick Sports Properties representing University of Texas at Arlington Athletics. White has 15 years of sports marketing and sponsorship sales experience. Before joining Learfield in 2015, he spent nine years with Spurs Sports & Entertainment in San Antonio. The Texas Tech University alum also has prior experience serving three years with his alma mater as Athletics’ sales and marketing coordinator for women’s basketball.
Concurrent with this move, former General Manager Mike Sage relocates to Raleigh, N.C. to play a critical role in the growth of Learfield’s Wolfpack Sports Properties team representing NC State Athletics. Sage will serve as director-business development, corporate sponsorship sales and manage the ongoing sales activity for Wolfpack Sports Properties staff. Sage has 16 years of related experience, 11 of which have been inside the collegiate athletics landscape.
“Josh is seasoned and incredibly talented, and he’ll be an excellent leader for our Mustang Sports Properties team as he was at UTA previously,” said Learfield Vice President, Texas Market Director Mike Haake. “Without a doubt, Mike has done a phenomenal job driving our SMU property the last three years and ensuring a deeper alignment with Athletics and its sponsors. He is taking on a big endeavor at NC State, and we’re excited for him and what he’ll accomplish in Raleigh.”
SMU and NC State are two of the more than 120 collegiate athletic administrations represented by Learfield nationwide. Learfield, which manages the multimedia rights and sponsorship initiatives for these institutions, has been an industry leader for more than four decades and continues to have a deep presence in the college athletics landscape.