DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS

OPENDORSE & VIKING VENTURES

Cleveland State Athletics partnered with Opendorse - the leading technology provider in the athlete endorsement industry - through a league-wide intitiative, and then Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) platform for Viking

Through Viking Ventures, Cleveland State student-athletes are able to create unique interests, talents and products, and then engage in promotional and related branding opportunities with Viking fans, local and national sponsors, and donors in pursuit of Name, Image and Likeness opportunities.

In Fall 2022, Cleveland State Athletics announced a new partnership with Teamworks, a premier engagement platform designed to streamline and unify athletic department operations. Through ‘Teamworks Hub’, the athletic department has been able to provide student-athletes, coaches and staff with a centralized platform and app to streamline organizational workflows, increase communication and collaborate and enhance engagement efforts through the sharing of information, announcements and resources across teams and departments.

Aspire

During the 2022-23 academic year Cleveland State Athletics agreed to a multi-year extension with The Aspire Group - the Vikings’ long-standing ticket sales and service partner. Since arriving on-site in 2017, Aspire’s Fan Relationship Management Center has provided innovative marketing, insightful analytics and industry-leading customer service, while maximizing ticket and donation revenue. In fiscal year 2023, the Cleveland State FRMC posted its fastest ever revenue generation pace.

Affinity Licensing

In July 2023, Cleveland State officially transitioned licensing partners, as the Vikings are now working with Affinity Licensing for brand management, royalty reporting and vendor cultivation. With more than 100 years of expertise, Affinity services over 35 collegiate partners, allowing for an innovative and personalized full-service approach to brand management and licensed merchandise revenue generation growth.