Big Ten Network

09/22/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/22/2021 10:00

Discover And State Farm Renew Partnerships With The Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Network

The Big Ten Network and Big Ten Conference today announced multi-year renewals with two longstanding partners in Discover, the official credit card of the Big Ten Conference, and State Farm, the official insurance partner of the Big Ten Conference.

Discover returns in 2021 for its fifth season as the first and only presenting sponsor in the history of the Big Ten Football Championship Game. In addition to on-field branding at the game, taking place Saturday, Dec. 4, in Indianapolis, Discover has access to an array of media inventory across the Big Ten Network, FOX and FS1's linear and digital platforms, as well as various Big Ten Conference events.

"Being the official credit card and the official Student credit card of the Big Ten Conference gives Discover the opportunity to make strong connections with some of the most passionate and dedicated students, student-athletes, fans and alumni bases in the country," said Kate Manfred, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Discover. "We look forward to continuing our sponsorship and supporting student-athletes on the field and in the classroom, and also providing them with a variety of financial products and tools to help secure brighter financial futures."

In its capacity as an official partner, State Farm will have a significant presence at the Big Ten Football Championship Game with its logo on the field goal nets among other assets. Additionally, State Farm will play a prominent role at the Big Ten Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments with logos on basket stanchions. Beyond on-site activation, State Farm will receive media inventory on the Big Ten Network's linear, digital and social channels throughout football and basketball season.

"For the past 125 years, the Big Ten has captured national attention for its impressive football and basketball programs," said Alyson Griffin, who heads marketing at State Farm. "Our continued sponsorship of the Big Ten allows us to reach broad audiences in various ways throughout the year in order to obtain our goal to help more people in more ways."

"Discover and State Farm have a unique understanding of the dynamics of the Big Ten," said Jack Brown, vice president of ad sales at Big Ten Network. "Both organizations recognize the significance of the Big Ten Football Championship Game, as well as the opportunity to reach a passionate and global fan base which celebrates academic and athletic excellence on a year-round basis."

The Big Ten Network works in conjunction with Learfield to offer an array of impactful multimedia, campus and championship opportunities for partners looking to connect directly with Big Ten fans and alumni.

The Big Ten Football Championship Game Presented by Discover takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. ET and airs on FOX. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Tickets range from $50 to $95 depending on the seat location and each order is limited to eight tickets.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a digital banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers private student loans, personal loans, home loans, checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit through its banking business. It operates the Discover Global Network comprised of Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance around the world. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.

About State FarmĀ®

The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its 19,300 agents and nearly 55,000 employees serve approximately 86 million policies and accounts - which includes auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

About the Big Ten Conference

Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based programs of the 14 Big Ten institutions will provide over $240 million in direct financial support to more than 9,800 students for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, including the addition of men's ice hockey and men's and women's lacrosse since 2013.

About Big Ten Network

A joint venture between the Big Ten Conference and Fox Networks, Big Ten Network is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With more than 1,700 events across all platforms, the 24/7 network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country, allowing them to see their favorite teams, regardless of where they live. The Fox Sports App is the digital extension of the Big Ten Network, delivering live games and on-demand programming to Big Ten Network customers via the web, smartphones, and tablets. Network events include football, men's and women's basketball games, dozens of Big Ten Olympic sports and championship events, studio shows and classic games. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation's finest universities, including the Emmy-nominated The Journey. The network is carried by all the major video distributors across the United State and Canada, such as DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Spectrum, Xfinity, Altice USA, Cox Communications, Mediacom, RCN, WOW!, and approximately 300 additional video providers across North America. Big Ten Network is also available through the majority of streaming providers, including AT&T TV, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, TVision, Vidgo and YouTube TV. For additional information, please visit www.btn.com.