To the SIDEARM community,

I wanted to share some important news. After 23 years of growing SIDEARM Sports to become the largest digital fan engagement platform in college sports, with over 1,500 university partners, I have decided it is time for my next challenge. SIDEARM Sports and Learfield are special, with amazing people and incredible partners. Our websites, mobile apps, and digital platforms have helped athletic departments directly engage with fans through increasingly innovative mediums. I’m proud of the impact our team has had on the college sports industry, and I’m proud of the trusted relationships we’ve built over my two decades of stewardship. 

As most of you know, I am also incredibly passionate about Syracuse University and have been a professor of practice at the School of Information Studies for 28 years. It is my alma mater and has a special place in my heart. Recently, I have served as a special advisor to the chancellor on digital transformation and helped guide strategic technology decisions on campus. I was offered an incredible opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. I will transition to a new position at Syracuse to give back to the university, serving as the University’s first Chief Digital Officer. I’m incredibly excited about this new role and the chance to give back to the university that has given me so much.

As Learfield and SIDEARM pursue the next chapter of digital fan engagement in collegiate sports, I am extremely confident that we have the right integrated strategy and leadership in place to serve our partners. Moving forward, Ben Mathan, Learfield’s Chief Strategy Officer will continue to provide strategic leadership for the SIDEARM business, and Michael Clarke will help to manage operations as SIDEARM’s COO. Additionally, we will be enlisting some technology leadership from across the enterprise, specifically Keith White, CTO/CPO of Paciolan, will support SIDEARM Sports from a product and engineering perspective. I am excited that I will also continue to support SIDEARM and LEARFIELD as an advisor to Ben Mathan and will stay close to the business.

I look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming industry events, including the Final Four, NACDA/CSC, and Sports Business Journal conferences. I’ll continue to be here cheering for SIDEARM, Learfield and the Orange, and I am grateful for our partnership.

Sincerely,

Jeff Rubin