SAN DIEGO – San Diego State University today announced a new joint JMI Sports and Legends partnership designed to transform the proposed stadium visitor experience.
On behalf of SDSU and in collaboration with SDSU Athletics, JMI Sports and Legends will manage the stadium project as part of the proposed campus expansion at SDSU Mission Valley.
"This is an exciting collaboration, and this joint venture will greatly enhance our capacity to create the types of experiences our students, faculty, staff, regional community and visitors have yet to see," said SDSU President Adela de la Torre.
"With the proposed stadium, campus and other features, the new neighborhood environment we plan to build will create the types of social, intellectual and economic benefits that will invigorate our entire region," de la Torre said. "I am proud of our team. I am also grateful for the vision we have defined and will now carry forward with our partners in JMI Sports and Legends."
JMI Sports and Legends will plan, strategize and execute ticketing, premium sales, naming rights and founding partnerships for the proposed stadium. As proposed, the 35,000 capacity multi-use stadium will serve primarily as the home of SDSU football and will also accommodate professional and collegiate soccer matches, concerts, other events, and can play host to a number of academic and integrated experiences.
"I am very excited for JMI Sports and Legends to continue assisting our stadium team," said J.D. Wicker, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at SDSU. "SDSU Athletics has a long history of success with these industry leading companies and we are confident that their combined experience and resources will deliver outstanding results for SDSU and the San Diego community."
To design and build the proposed new stadium, SDSU recently hired Clark Construction and Gensler. As proposed, the new stadium will hold a major footprint at SDSU Mission Valley, a comprehensive campus expansion project proposed to include a world class university research and innovation district, housing, mixed use retail, and more than 80-acres of public open space and a river park.
"Once we have full project approval, the addition of JMI Sports and Legends will allow us the opportunity to put a shovel in the ground in the first quarter of 2020 and open a stadium in the fall of 2022," Wicker said.
Since 2017, JMI Sports and Legends have strategically partnered on projects to deliver optimal value for properties in the collegiate space, including the creation of a successful joint venture to manage Notre Dame's athletics sponsorship, hospitality, multimedia rights and branding services on a local and national level.
"Legends looks forward to partnering with JMI Sports to deliver a world-class venue that showcases the influence of Southern California lifestyle and culture that will serve as a home for San Diego State University, Aztec fans, alumni, and the city of San Diego alike," said Mike Behan, Legends Vice President, Collegiate Partnerships.
"Along with the leadership of President Adela de la Torre and Athletic Director John David Wicker, we believe this project will transform San Diego State University and position SDSU Athletics for long-term growth opportunities," Behan also said.
JMI Sports was founded in 2006 based upon the vast experience gained in developing Petco Park for the San Diego Padres. JMI Sports served as owner's representative for San Diego State University's state-of-the-art 26,000-square foot Jeff Jacobs JAM Center that opened in 2015.
"The Mission Valley project, with the inclusion of a truly unique state of the art stadium, is one of the most profoundly important projects in the history of San Diego State University and the City of San Diego," said Erik Judson, CEO of JMI Sports. "The team of JMI Sports and Legends is privileged to bring our unparalleled experience for delivering the most comprehensive and integrated services available in the industry to assure the success of this stadium project."
Legends has a wealth of experience in Southern California, having partnered to provide planning, project management, naming rights and founding partnerships and premium and general ticketing solutions on both the Los Angeles Stadium & Entertainment District and Banc of California Stadium projects, along with providing premium sales and marketing solutions on the renovation of the Rose Bowl and L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
Additionally, Legends is at the forefront in advising university and athletic departments to identify opportunities to enhance fan experience in venue and optimizing new and renovated facility revenues. Their successful partnerships include significant facility projects with Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Louisville, Missouri and Villanova.
About San Diego State University
San Diego State University is a major public research institution that provides transformative experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom, for its more than 36,000 students. The university offers bachelor's degrees in 95 areas, master's degrees in 78 areas and doctorates in 22 areas. Students participate in research, international experiences, sustainability and entrepreneurship initiatives, internships and mentoring, and a broad range of student life and leadership opportunities. The university's rich campus life features opportunities for students to participate in, and engage with, the creative and performing arts, a Division I athletics program and the vibrant cultural life of the San Diego region. For more information, visit www.sdsu.edu.
About Legends
Founded in 2008, Legends is a holistic experiential services agency with more than 1,200 full-time and 30,000 seasonal team members globally. Legends has three core divisions operating worldwide: Global Planning, Global Sales and Hospitality, offering clients and partners a 360-degree platform to elevate their brand and execute their vision. Currently, Legends works with marquee clients across business verticals including professional sports; collegiate; attractions; entertainment; and conventions and leisure. We are the industry leaders in designing, planning and realizing exceptional experiences in sports and entertainment. For more information, visit Legends.net and follow Legends at Facebook.com/TheLegendsWay, Twitter and Instagram: @thelegendsway.
About JMI Sports
JMI Sports is a full-service collegiate marketing firm providing the highest quality management of athletics multimedia rights. Breaking new ground in the creation of the Total Campus Marketing program, JMI Sports works hand-in-hand with each university in the pursuit of their success, maximizing their economic potential. JMI Sports boasts an impressive list of signature partnerships, including Clemson University, the University of Kentucky, the Ivy League, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Pennsylvania, and joint-venture properties of the University of Georgia and Columbia University (with IMG College), as well as the University of Notre Dame (with Legends). Founded in 2006 by Erik Judson and technology entrepreneur John Moores, former owner of the San Diego Padres, JMI Sports is also a highly regarded project manager for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities.