Elevate Sports Ventures’ Launches ‘Elevate On Campus’ Ticketing Strategies; University Of Kentucky On Board

Rupp Arena – Rupp Arena

Sports and entertainment consulting firm Elevate Sports Ventures has formed Elevate On Campus with Taymar Ventures CEO/founder Mark Dyer to provide comprehensive ticket sales strategy and execution for intercollegiate athletics departments, conferences, bowls and other organizations in the space, with the University of Kentucky on board. 

 

The company will support the ticketing strategy, sales and servicing for men’s basketball at the soon-to-be-renovated Rupp Arena, football at Kroger Field and the more than 100 ticketed sporting events hosted annually by the SEC school.  

 

Dyer, a college sports industry veteran, will serve as president of the new venture. An architect of IMG College Ticket Solutions and IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions, Dyer has worked with both the NFL and NASCAR, leading the IMG College Business Ventures division to unprecedented growth from 2011 to 2017, forming Taymar Ventures upon his departure from IMG a year ago.

 

Commented Elevate Sports Ventures CEO Al Guido: “The addition of Mark and the University of Kentucky to the Elevate family represents a continuation of our strategy to build this business with the best people and brands in sports. Elevate on Campus will allow us to bring our proven ticketing sales and service strategies to the college sports space and deliver improved revenue for our clients.”

 

Added Dyer: “Building attendance in football and basketball is the greatest revenue challenge facing collegiate athletics departments. Elevate On Campus will offer a combination of college and professional sports ticket sales expertise the market hasn’t seen until now. The Kentucky athletics program is a perfect first client because Mitch Barnhart and his staff understand our unique assets and share our vision and strategy.”  

Prior to the start of the 2015 season, the University of Kentucky completed a $126 million renovation of Kroger Field. In May 2018, the UK released details surrounding the next phase of renovations to Rupp Arena scheduled to be completed in the coming seasons, including upper-level chair-back seating along both sidelines and new club areas. The project comes on the heels of the installation of a new center-hung scoreboard, ribbon boards and sound system at Rupp Arena.