Higginbotham Expands Collegiate Athletics Investment With LEARFIELD, Adds 10 Southern Universities to Portfolio

Higginbotham announced the expansion of its multi-year investment in collegiate athletics to include ten universities in the southern region of the United States through its continued sponsorship agreement with LEARFIELD, a media and technology company that partners with college athletic departments.

As part of the program, Higginbotham will gain increased exposure and connections to college fans through digital marketing and hospitality across multiple sports at Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Louisville, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

The new, expanded effort increases Higginbotham’s college portfolio by 150 percent.

Fort Worth, Texas-based Higginbotham and LEARFIELD first collaborated on a national level for the 2022-23 season with partner schools Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Vanderbilt.

Higginbotham Chairman and CEO Rusty Reid said, “These are relatively new markets for Higginbotham that we’ve entered by establishing teams with access to our national insurance resources while still delivering personal, local service to protect the businesses and families in their region. Our partnership with LEARFIELD supports our growth strategy by building partnerships with universities where we serve passionate fan bases and provide career opportunities for their students and alumni.”

Higginbotham has increased its footprint across the Sun Belt in the past couple years, acquiring agencies in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana and Florida.

Reid told Insurance Journal earlier this year that Higginbotham’s geographical expansion into the South Central and Southeast reflects the growing population and economic development in those regions.

“We are very much strategically aligning not only with good firms that are there that enjoy impeccable reputations such as Higginbotham, but we also know that from a pure economic development standpoint they’re in areas of the country that are really enjoying significant growth,” Reid said. “People are thriving in those markets and more importantly going into those markets.”

Photo: Helmets of the Alabama Crimson Tide on the sideline against the Louisiana State University Tigers in the 2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 9, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Alabama won the game 21-0.(AP Photo/Tom Hauck)

Topics Louisiana Georgia Education Alabama Universities