FDU HOLDING

What FDU HOLDING does

FDU HOLDING, operating as FDU Knights Athletics, is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics department of Fairleigh Dickinson University — a private, nonprofit university founded in 1942 and headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey. The department fields 23 varsity athletic programs (men's and women's) competing in the Northeast Conference (NEC), with operations supported by approximately 80–100 athletic department staff across administration, compliance, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, communications, and coaching.

Revenue is generated through five principal streams: ticket sales for basketball and other ticketed events; facility rentals of the Bogota Savings Bank Center (formerly Rothman Center) and University Stadium; corporate sponsorships and naming rights (anchored by Bogota Savings Bank, the largest sponsorship deal in department history); an apparel partnership with Macron — the first U.S. collegiate deal for the Italian sportswear brand and the largest apparel deal in FDU history, effective July 2026; and community-facing youth engagement programs including the free Little Knights Club membership (ages 13 and under) and tiered birthday party packages priced at $100 (Bronze), $300 (Silver), and $750 (Gold). The go-to-market motion is event-driven, leveraging game attendance, mascot appearances, facility rentals, and conference-level media distribution.

The department has expanded its sport portfolio by adding four varsity programs since 2020 (men's volleyball, women's lacrosse, women's flag football, men's fencing), completed a $1.4 million renovation of the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex in 2024, and secured its first multi-media rights agreement with Peak Sports in 2025. Brand momentum has been amplified by the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament upset over #1-seeded Purdue, the program's first Learfield Director's Cup Top 100 finish (92nd in 2022–23), 133 NEC championships, and five NCAA national championships (three in women's fencing, two in women's bowling). Leadership transitioned from Bradford Hurlbut (retiring after seven years as Director of Athletics) to Jason Young, appointed Senior Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics effective July 1, 2026.

Name

FDU HOLDING

Legal name

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Website

https://fduknights.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1942

Operating status

Operating

Short description

FDU HOLDING operates the NCAA Division I athletic department of Fairleigh Dickinson University, fielding 23 varsity programs in the Northeast Conference and generating revenue through ticket sales, facility rentals, corporate sponsorships, apparel partnerships, and community youth programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collegiate Athletics

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs (MPAKACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

Keywords

• NCAA Division I athletics
• Collegiate sports programs
• Athletic facility rentals
• Youth sports membership
• Game ticket sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Teaneck

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for men's basketball, women's basketball and other athletic events
2. Facility Rentals: Rental of athletic facilities including Bogota Savings Bank Center and University Stadium
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Naming rights, sponsorship agreements with Bogota Savings Bank and other corporate partners
4. Apparel Partnership: Multi-year apparel partnership with Macron - largest apparel deal in FDU history
5. Youth Programs: Revenue from birthday party packages (Bronze $100, Silver $300, Gold $750) and Little Knights Club membership

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FDU Knights Athletics operates 23 NCAA Division I varsity sports programs competing in the Northeast Conference. The department sells tickets to athletic events (notably men's and women's basketball) at Bogota Savings Bank Center, rents athletic facilities including University Stadium, runs the Little Knights Club free youth membership program for children aged 13 and under, and sells three-tier birthday party packages featuring mascot Knightro. Corporate sponsorships and naming rights (e.g., Bogota Savings Bank Center, Macron apparel partnership) provide additional revenue.

Product overview

FDU Knights Athletics operates as the official athletics department of Fairleigh Dickinson University, managing 23 NCAA Division I varsity athletic programs as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). The department offers various services including facility rentals, youth membership programs (Little Knights Club), and special event packages (birthday parties with mascot Knightro). The product portfolio consists primarily of athletic competition programs, membership services for young fans, and facility rental offerings. The department has recently expanded by adding four new varsity sports since 2020: men's volleyball, women's lacrosse, women's flag football, and men's fencing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NCAA Division I Athletic Programs 23 NCAA Division I varsity sports programs competing in the Northeast Conference (NEC), offering intercollegiate competition, scholarships, and athletic development for student-athletes across men's and women's sports.
• Athletic Event Tickets Tickets sold for men's and women's basketball games and other ticketed FDU Knights athletic events, primarily at Bogota Savings Bank Center.
• Birthday Party Packages with Knightro Three-tier birthday party experiences (Bronze $100, Silver $300, Gold $750) at FDU basketball games featuring mascot Knightro, including private rooms, game tickets, autograph sessions, meet and greets with athletes, post-game court photos, scoreboard shoutouts, and party favor bags.
• Little Knights Club Membership Free youth membership program for children aged 13 and under, providing membership credential, birthday shoutouts from mascot Knightro, activity pages, postgame activities, honorary ball kid opportunities, autographs, free tickets to basketball games, and access to Lil Knights Events.
• Athletic Facility Rentals Rental of FDU athletic facilities including Bogota Savings Bank Center (the basketball arena in Hackensack, New Jersey) and University Stadium for sporting events and other gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Placed 92nd in Learfield Director's Cup - first NEC program in Top 100
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 flagship, core and minor.

• MacronflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 7 May 2026Multi-year partnership making FDU the first U.S. college to sign with Macron. Macron will exclusively outfit all 23 varsity athletic programs beginning July 2026. This is the largest apparel deal in FDU history. Macron is an Italian high-performance sportswear brand headquartered in Bologna, Italy, with USA headquarters in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
• Hackensack Meridian HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership making Hackensack Meridian Health the official medical provider of FDU Athletics. Includes multiple team physicians and orthopedic specialists from Hackensack Meridian Health, Orthopedic Specialists of New Jersey.
• Peak SportscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025First multi-media rights agreement with Peak Sports for content and media distribution.
• Bogota Savings BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024First naming rights sponsorship agreement in FDU Athletics history. The Rothman Center was renamed the Bogota Savings Bank Center. This was the largest sponsorship deal in FDU Athletics history, negotiated by Jason Young in 2024.
• Return on Inclusion (ROI)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Diversity, equity and inclusion learning platform for coaches and administrators. FDU athletic staff attained Certified Inclusive Leader status through this partnership.
• Capelli SportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Long-term facility rental agreement for usage of University Stadium which secured funding for a new Shaw artificial turf field and venue improvements for men's and women's soccer and women's lacrosse.
• Under ArmourcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2019First all-sports apparel contract negotiated by Bradford Hurlbut during his tenure.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stonehill College Skyhawks: Stonehill is a NEC conference member, small private Catholic institution with a comparable Division I athletics portfolio and similar resource base to FDU.
• Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils: CCSU is a fellow NEC member and public university with a comparable Division I athletics portfolio. Direct conference competitor across multiple sports and similar mid-major resource profile.
• Sacred Heart University Pioneers: Former FDU AD Bradford Hurlbut previously served as Deputy Director of Athletics at Sacred Heart. Sacred Heart is a small private university competing in the NEC with FDU, with similar D1 program size, private institution profile, and Northeast Conference footprint.
• St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers: Former NEC conference member and small private Catholic institution with D1 athletics. Highly comparable to FDU on institution type, conference positioning, and program scale before its recent conference move.
• Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers: Mount St. Mary's is a small private Catholic institution competing in the MAAC with comparable Division I athletics portfolio and similar small-school resource constraints to FDU.
• Wagner College Seahawks: Wagner is a NEC conference member and small private institution, providing a near-perfect structural comparison: private, small, urban Northeast, Division I athletics with similar revenue constraints and competitive positioning.
• Long Island University Sharks: LIU is a NEC conference peer and small private institution with Division I athletics. Operates a similar multi-sport D1 portfolio serving a comparable student demographic in the Northeast.
• Le Moyne College Dolphins: Le Moyne is a NEC conference peer, small private Jesuit institution with a transitioning Division I athletics program. Comparable private school resource profile and similar sports portfolio scope.
• Merrimack College Warriors: Merrimack is a NEC conference peer, small private Catholic institution that recently transitioned to Division I. Closely matches FDU on institutional type, athletics investment stage, and conference affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• University of Vermont Catamounts: UVM is a larger public institution in the same region, where Jason Young previously led ticketing operations managing approximately $1.5M in ticket revenue. Comparable mid-major D1 profile with similar sports offerings but greater institutional resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FDUKnightsMBB
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FDUKnightvision
• Instagraminstagram.com/fduknightswbb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fairleigh-dickinson-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 FDU HOLDING