Back to Kentucky and Bundled Rights

Abstract

While Host expanded corporate partnerships with the NCAA, he also obtained control of the marketing rights for multiple universities. In addition to the University of Texas, HCI began to work with Purdue, Florida State, Notre Dame, and other schools. While HCI expanded nationally, Host also won back the broadcasting and media rights to University of Kentucky (UK) sports. This time, Host took what he had learned with the NCAA and other universities and introduced a new innovation in intercollegiate athletics: bundled rights. Corporate sponsors signed up to be official partners with UK, and the deals included advertising across print, radio, and television markets. The bundled rights model became the standard template for individual universities and their sports marketing programs. At UK, Host and athletic director CM Newton brought in Rick Pitino as the new head men’s basketball coach, after PJ Carlesimo turned down the position. Pitino resurrected the basketball program and helped prove that the bundled rights model worked. Host Communications then looked to replicate the model at other universities.