AUSTIN, Texas (June 30, 2025) — To optimize NIL operations and maximize opportunities for Longhorn student-athletes, Texas Athletics, in collaboration with Learfield’s Longhorn Sports Properties, today announced the launch of the Longhorn Sports Agency (LSA), a unified Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agency. The new, integrated agency will enhance marketing efforts by combining Learfield Impact NIL services with on-campus content producers from Learfield Studios, Longhorn Sports Network radio broadcast, and LHN (Longhorn Network), Texas’ live and on-demand streaming service. This initiative will provide student-athletes with enhanced access to resources for brand development, strategic content creation, and customized NIL solutions.
“Everything we do at Texas is about setting a high standard, and NIL is no different,” said Chris Del Conte, University of Texas Vice President and Lois and Richard Folger Athletics Director. “The Longhorn Sports Agency reflects our commitment to building an industry-leading infrastructure that supports our student-athletes and strengthens the Texas brand. This initiative is about doing NIL the right way, with intention, innovation, and the full backing of our partner, Learfield, who knows how to achieve excellence in NIL.”
The Longhorn Sports Agency is centered around Learfield Impact’s three foundational pillars: dedicated on-campus NIL leadership, creative content campaigns designed to help student-athletes build and monetize their personal brands, and access to deal facilitation and compliance technology through the Compass NIL platform. The culmination of these pillars will continue to elevate Texas’ approach to student-athlete brand engagement and content strategy.
The Longhorn Sports Agency will staff strategic NIL executives to facilitate deals, including a director of NIL business development, an associate of business development, and an NIL marketing partnership manager. These NIL leaders will work in tandem with the current on-site Learfield Studios team, which consists of two supervising producers, an editor, and a social content producer. The combined NIL dealmaking and content creation team will work with Longhorn Network, Texas Athletics, and Longhorn Sports Properties to form a powerful NIL agency aimed at maximizing brand deals, delivering unique storytelling content, and creating more NIL opportunities for Longhorn student-athletes.
To ensure strategic alignment, the Longhorns Sports Agency will be led by Lucas Motta, Vice President of Longhorn Sports Properties. The agency will work side-by-side with the Longhorn Sports Properties team to continue building strategic NIL and student-athlete influencer deals, providing influencer marketing services, driving brand partnerships, and offering activation support for student-athletes.
“With the House settlement and the current landscape of college athletics, it’s critical to accelerate innovation, and we’re proud to support Texas as they continue to lead with a bold, future-focused approach to NIL,” said Solly Fulp, Executive Vice President, NIL Growth & Development at Learfield. “By employing Learfield Impact, the Longhorn Sports Agency will unify resources and streamline access for brands to connect with Longhorn student-athletes in powerful, authentic ways. This fully integrated approach enhances student-athlete marketing opportunities and reinforces Texas’ thought leadership in the evolving NIL space.”
By harnessing the award-winning LHN (Longhorn Network) and its wide range of original content, along with established platforms like social media and the web, Texas Athletics will enhance its NIL initiatives for brand partners through its robust content team. In collaboration with Learfield Studios, Texas has already launched several successful content series, including NIL compensation, generating millions of impressions for brands and providing insight into the student-athlete experience. These initiatives, combined with new original video and social media content, create additional avenues for NIL opportunities, further enhancing the program’s engagement with key stakeholders.
This unified approach, backed by Learfield Impact, equips all stakeholders with the tools, insights, and infrastructure needed to harness the value of NIL for Texas student-athletes.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.