Notre Dame is the first collegiate SportsTech partner, joining distinguished sports brands like NBC Sports, Sky Sports, NASCAR, Premier League, PGA TOUR, and others to engage and collaborate with founders innovating across the industry
Comcast announced today that The University of Notre Dame has joined the partner consortium for Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech, powered by Boomtown, as the program’s first collegiate organization. Starting with SportsTech’s fifth class, which will begin in 2025, companies selected to join the innovation program will have an opportunity to explore collaborations and engage directly with experts and leaders from the University and its network.
This also builds on the landmark partnership Notre Dame has had with NBC Sports for over four decades – the longest collegiate media relationship. Dating back to 1991, NBC Sports has exclusively presented Notre Dame home football games, and recently announced enhanced rights to bring more Notre Dame content to fans across Peacock and additional platforms.
“Notre Dame adds a unique innovation champion to Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech’s distinguished partner roster,” said Will McIntosh, President, Fandango & NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology. “As the program’s first collegiate advisor, Notre Dame offers new opportunities, access, and insight for startups. Additionally, through our broadcast rights, NBC Sports and Notre Dame have a rich tradition of collaborating on ways of enriching fan experiences, further aligning to one of SportsTech’s core pillars.”
Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech provides portfolio companies with valuable insights and access to decision-makers at leading sports brands around the world. Notre Dame joins a distinguished partner consortium that includes Notre Dame, NBC Sports, Sky Sports, Comcast Spectacor, NASCAR, Premier League, PGA Tour, and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. Over the course of six months, Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech connects founders with partners with an eye toward developing strategic collaborations and enhancing companies’ products and services.
“We are excited to join Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech, bringing together and further enhancing our historic collaboration with NBC Sports and the University’s commitment to innovative athletics,” said Pete Bevacqua, Director of Athletics, University of Notre Dame. “Being part of this program will continue to help us to identify and implement new technologies and ways of thinking that can elevate the sports experience for our University, our athletes, and our fans.”
Notre Dame is proud to foster innovation through its academics and athletic programs, including its Innovation Park, an entrepreneurship center that is home to over 60 startup companies and a place where entrepreneurs, students, and more come to share ideas through meetings, events and training, and its accelerator support program for early-stage startups.
Beginning in April 2022, Notre Dame was one of the first members of NBC Sports Athlete Direct, a platform linking college student-athletes and advertisers through a trusted marketplace, enabling student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Student-athletes who opt-in to the program are presented with NIL opportunities from advertisers that include monetizing their social media followings. Additionally, NBC Sports collaborates with CNBC, the world leader in business and financial news, to provide personal finance resources.
To apply for the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Class of 2025 and learn more about the program’s eight focus areas—media and entertainment, fan/player engagement, athlete/player performance, team and coach success, venue and event innovation, fantasy sports and betting, esports, and the business of sports—visit www.comcastsportstech.com/2025.
