The Varsity Network Created For College Sports Fans Debuts With A Signature App

PLANO, Texas, Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- College sports fans – the most loyal, ardent fans in all of sports – now have access to an app called The Varsity Network. The Varsity Network conveniently brings together free live gameday broadcasts for hundreds of schools during various sports seasons, original content and national college programming such as College Sports Now, College Football Blitz and the new College Football Saturday Night with Mike Golic and Kate Scott. It is built and powered by LEARFIELD, the preeminent player in college multimedia rights, licensing, technology and data.

Fans can download the app for iPhone or Android use for instant access to free gameday audio streams and receive push notifications to remind them of games starting or upcoming audio broadcasts.

"Our app is a free, convenient way for college sports fans all across the country to consume LEARFIELD-driven gameday audio streams through one home base – The Varsity Network," said LEARFIELD EVP/Managing Director-Media & Partnerships Group Rick Barakat. "College sports fans represent the largest fanbase in the U.S., and we're thrilled to make this available as the 2021-22 season kicks off. It's ideal for our school partners, and it's a seamless connection point for fans everywhere, on gameday or any day, wherever they live."                            

LEARFIELD works with more than 1,000 intercollegiate athletic programs, conferences, alumni associations and arenas across the nation, and provides numerous solutions to college athletic departments, performing arts centers and event organizers. The company is the athletics multimedia rightsholder to nearly 200 schools in which the live gameday broadcasts will originate. Any audio broadcast produced by LEARFIELD for its school partners will be accessible to fans through The Varsity Network. 

"Fans now have a one-stop hub where they can find, favorite and listen to any of our gameday audio streams, original content and podcasts for their alma mater or any other college colors they bleed," added Barakat.

The Varsity Network app was developed by SIDEARM Sports, a LEARFIELD company and the nation's leading digital provider powering more than 1,400 official college athletic websites and mobile apps. 

"College sports fans are incredibly passionate about following their favorite teams. Our signature app is a perfect complement to the overall plans we have for The Varsity Network," said SIDEARM Sports CEO and Founder Jeff Rubin. "We're delivering to fans exactly the type of content we know they want through the app, as step one in our debut of The Varsity Network, a multi-faceted platform."

LEARFIELD is a leading media and technology services company in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD services includes licensing and multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics; ticketing, ticket sales and professional concessions expertise; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.

SOURCE LEARFIELD