Ball State University Athletics

What Ball State University Athletics does

Ball State University Athletics is the official intercollegiate athletics department of Ball State University, a public state university located in Muncie, Indiana. The department operates 19 NCAA Division I varsity sports programs—7 men's and 12 women's—within the Mid-American Conference (MAC). It fields teams across football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, cross country, track and field, and field hockey, competing in conference championships and NCAA postseason events.

The department's commercial operations span four revenue streams: ticket sales distributed through Ticketmaster (season and individual game tickets for football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, and other sports); merchandise and apparel sold through the Cardinal Fan Store and shop.ballstatesports.com under a Nike partnership; donations and fundraising through the Cardinal Varsity Club and Cardinal Excellence Fund; and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) marketplace activity via AthletesThread, Fanatics, Influxer, and Opendorse. It also generates ancillary revenue from sports camps and clinics. Distribution and fan engagement are supported by the official ballstatesports.com website, a mobile application, the "This Week in Ball State Sports" podcast, YouTube channels (Ball State All-Access and Ball State Sports Link), and active social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter. The technology stack is primarily commercial off-the-shelf: Ticketmaster for ticketing, ESPN+ for streaming, and standard athletic management software for scheduling and roster management, with no proprietary technology assets or AI capabilities disclosed.

As a department of a state-funded public university, Ball State Athletics is governed by the Ball State University Board of Trustees and funded through a combination of university allocations, student athletics fees, ticket revenue, corporate sponsorships (Nike, Pepsi, Gainbridge, Indiana University Health), and donor contributions. The program does not operate as a standalone revenue-generating entity, and financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Ball State University Athletics

Legal name

Ball State University Athletics

Website

https://ballstatesports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ball State University Athletics is the NCAA Division I athletics department of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, operating 19 varsity sports in the Mid-American Conference and generating revenue through ticket sales, Nike apparel, NIL marketplaces, and donor fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collegiate Athletics

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs (MPAKACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intercollegiate Athletics (Varsity Sports Programs) (EDALAIAA), College/University Sports Events (NCAA & equivalents) (MPAGAMAE)

Keywords

• NCAA Division I athletics
• Collegiate sports programs
• Live sports entertainment
• Licensed athletic merchandise
• Corporate sports sponsorships

Headquarters

HQ city

Muncie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from sale of tickets to athletic events across all sports including football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, track and field, and other varsity sports. Ticket sales through Ticketmaster platform for season tickets and individual game admission.
2. Merchandise and Apparel: Official team merchandise and fan apparel sold through the Ball State Cardinals fan store and shop, including Nike branded merchandise, game day essentials, novelties, and team gear.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable contributions and fundraising through the Cardinal Varsity Club (CVC), Cardinal Excellence Fund, and general athletics donations supporting student-athlete scholarships and program development.
4. NIL Marketplace: Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnerships and jersey marketplace through platforms like AthletesThread, Fanatics, Influxer, and Opendorse, allowing fans to purchase athlete-related merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ball State University Athletics operates the intercollegiate athletics program of Ball State University, fielding 19 NCAA Division I varsity sports teams within the Mid-American Conference. It sells ticketed live sporting events, licensed athletic apparel and merchandise, corporate sponsorships (Nike, Pepsi), broadcast content via ESPN+, and supports student-athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities through the Opendorse marketplace.

Product overview

Ball State University Athletics operates as a college athletic department managing 19 varsity sports programs. The product portfolio includes the core athletics website and mobile app for scores, schedules, news, and live streaming; the Ball State Sports Network podcast for multimedia coverage; and sports camps and clinics for youth development. The department also maintains ticket sales through Ticketmaster, merchandise sales via the team store, and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) marketplace integrations with external platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NCAA Division I Men's Football Program

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NikecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNike is the official apparel and footwear partner for Ball State Athletics. The official team store (shop.ballstatesports.com) features Nike branded merchandise including apparel, footwear, and accessories for fans and supporters.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ticketing partner for Ball State Athletics events. Manages ticket sales for football, basketball, volleyball, and other sports through Ticketmaster platform with mobile ticket delivery options.
• PepsicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial beverage and refreshment partner for Ball State Athletics. Pepsi branded beverages served at athletic events and facilities.
• ESPN+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial streaming partner for select Ball State athletic events. Home games broadcast on ESPN+ platform, allowing fans nationwide to watch Cardinals compete.
• Mid-American Conference (MAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBall State is a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), competing against 11 other schools in NCAA Division I. The conference organizes championships, media rights deals, and postseason tournament access for all sports.
• GainbridgeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSponsor partner appearing in athletics website footer. Gainbridge is a digital platform for annuity and investment products.
• Indiana University HealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial healthcare and sports medicine partner providing orthopedic and sports medicine services at the IU Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine location in Muncie.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Miami University (Ohio) Athletics: MAC member with parallel Division I structure and a public-university operating model. Competes in identical conference championships and shares ESPN+ distribution economics.
• Ohio University Athletics: MAC co-member with a comparable public-university athletics structure and similar Midwest regional fan base. Direct competitor in MAC championships across multiple sports.
• Eastern Michigan University Athletics: Direct MAC peer with public-university structure and a similar mid-major athletics budget profile. Operates comparable varsity sport portfolio and donor-funded NIL infrastructure.
• Northern Illinois University Athletics: MAC peer with similar mid-major scale, public-university funding structure, and comparable varsity sport portfolio. Shares conference-level championship and media-rights participation.
• University of Toledo Athletics: Toledo competes alongside Ball State in the MAC across the same 19-sport NCAA Division I portfolio. Direct in-conference peer with comparable mid-major budget scale, ESPN+ distribution, and similar sponsorship mix.
• Central Michigan University Athletics: MAC member with analogous NCAA Division I structure and Midwest geographic catchment. Competes in the same conference championships and shares media-rights economics.
• Western Michigan University Athletics: MAC co-member with a comparable Division I athletics footprint, similar Midwest geographic draw, and overlapping conference media-rights economics.
• Bowling Green State University Athletics: Ohio-based MAC peer with a comparable Division I athletics program structure. Direct competitor in MAC championships across football, basketball, and other sports.
• Kent State University Athletics: MAC co-member with parallel Division I athletics structure, donor-driven funding model (Golden Flashes Club), and similar ESPN+ streaming footprint.

Regional players

• Indiana State University Athletics: Indiana-based Division I athletics program (Missouri Valley Conference) and Ball State's upcoming soccer opponent. Regional peer with comparable mid-major budget scale and public-university funding dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ballstatesb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/BallStateAllAccess
• Facebookfacebook.com/ballstatesports
• Instagraminstagram.com/ballstatesports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ball-state-athletics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ball State University Athletics