Learfield’s Redbird Sports Properties announces multi-year sponsorship with State Farm® to place logo on field at Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium

Normal, IL (October 23, 2024) – Learfield’s Redbird Sports Properties, Illinois State Athletics and State Farm today announced a groundbreaking sponsorship that makes it one of the first programs in college football to have an on-field logo. State Farm will display its logo on both 25-yard lines at Hancock Stadium beginning Nov. 2 when the Redbirds host Youngstown State. This collaboration highlights how State Farm supports college athletics and engages with Redbird fans.

“We are proud of our sponsorship of Illinois State and this collaboration with Learfield,” said Kristyn Cook, Chief Agency, Sales & Marketing Officer, State Farm. “This sponsorship allows us to reach passionate college sports fans in new and impactful ways.”

“State Farm is an incredible partner and we are excited about this new opportunity to support our football program,” said Dr. Jeri Beggs, interim director of athletics at Illinois State University. “We are focused on providing incredible experiences for our student-athletes, fans and alumni, and this partnership enhances our program.”

As a multi-year partner of Illinois State, State Farm supports Redbird athletics through various sponsorship programs in football, men’s and women’s basketball, and Olympic sports. In addition to the on-field logos, Illinois State features State Farm branding on televised signage, on venue LED screens, digitally on the official athletics website goredbirds.com and other fan engagement platforms.

“It’s exciting to further unite the passion of college football with State Farm to provide meaningful connections for Redbird fans everywhere,” said Matt Moran, general manager of Redbird Sports Properties. “We look forward to working with our partners to explore new opportunities that capture the excitement of college sports and fuel the fan base.”

“State Farm is an iconic brand with a strong presence in collegiate athletics. “The collaboration between State Farm and Illinois State for this on-field logo sponsorship is a natural fit and we are pleased to continue working with State Farm to enhance branding opportunities,” said Lori Bland, vice president of National Partnership Management at Learfield.

Redbird Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield – the media and technology company that powers college sports – is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Illinois State Athletics and handles all sponsorships, on-site signage and advertising on behalf of Illinois State University . The on-field sponsorship of the State Farm logo was developed in collaboration with Redbird Sports Properties and Learfield’s Corporate Business Development team.

About Illinois State University
Over 450 Illinois State student-athletes compete in 19 sports, primarily in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Redbirds have taken home nine team and individual national championships, hundreds of All-American honors and more than 160 MVC championship titles. Led by the award-winning Red Alert student section, fans fill the stands on game day and help make Illinois State one of the most competitive venues in the Midwest.

About State Farm®
For over 100 years, State Farm’s mission has been to help people overcome the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and achieve their dreams. State Farm and its subsidiaries are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its more than 19,400 agents and 67,000 employees serve over 91 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. In addition to renter, business owner, boat and motorcycle insurance, commercial auto insurance is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent company of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 39 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, see

About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering collegiate athletics. Across its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a comprehensive data set and industry relationships to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness and fan engagement for brands, sports and entertainment properties. With connections to over 1,200 higher education institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in collegiate sports and live events creates influence and maximizes audience reach. With solutions for a 24/7, 365-day fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to engage with fans through licensed merchandise, game tickets, donor identification for sports programs, exclusive tailored content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions and advanced digital platforms . Since 2008, the company has served as title sponsor of the prestigious Learfield Directors’ Cup and supports athletic departments in all divisions.