Akron Athletics

Name

Akron Athletics

Legal name

University of Akron Athletics

Website

https://gozips.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collegiate Athletics

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

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

• College athletics programs
• NCAA Division I sports
• Athletic ticket sales
• Collegiate sports merchandise
• Live sports streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Akron

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Operations: Taymar handles ticket sales and operations for all ticketed sports, generating consistent revenue growth. Achieved 75.1% increase in overall ticket revenue in three years and over $2.5M cumulative ticket revenue since 2022.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships including Taymar (ticket operations), Mid-Ohio Forklifts, Nike/BSN (merchandise), and other corporate partners supporting athletics programs.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Zips Athletic Club membership and donation programs through fundraise.givesmart.com platform.
4. Merchandise and Apparel Sales: Team shops through Nike and BSN partnership, selling official Zips merchandise and apparel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Akron Athletics operates the University of Akron's NCAA Division I athletics program, fielding 17 varsity sports across men's, women's, and coed categories with football at the FBS level and men's soccer in the Big East Conference. It sells game tickets (season, single-game, group, mobile), official merchandise through Nike/BSN team shops, and live game streaming via the Zips Digital Network. The department also generates revenue through corporate sponsorships, donations through the Zips Athletic Club, and live fan experiences such as the Party on Vine Street tailgate.

Product overview

Akron Athletics operates as the official athletics department of the University of Akron, competing at NCAA Division I level as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The department fields 17 varsity programs across men's, women's, and coed sports, with the football program competing in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and men's soccer competing in the Big East Conference. The core product offering centers on digital ticketing infrastructure (GoZips.com/Tickets), the Zips Digital Network streaming platform for video content, and mobile ticketing via Apple Wallet/Google Pay integration. Additional offerings include the Zips Team Shops merchandise platform (in partnership with Nike and BSN) and experiential events like Party on Vine Street pre-game gatherings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Season Tickets (Football and Basketball) Annual subscription tickets granting access to all home games in a sport's season for individual fans and families.
• Single-Game Tickets Pay-as-you-go ticket purchases for individual games across all ticketed Zips sports.
• Group Tickets and Fan Experiences Discounted group ticket packages with a minimum of 10 tickets for corporate and individual groups, including fan experiences.
• Mobile Ticketing Service Digital ticketing infrastructure that lets fans access, manage, and transfer tickets through Apple Wallet and Google Pay on smartphones.
• Zips Digital Network Streaming Streaming platform broadcasting live games, interviews, highlights, and behind-the-scenes Akron Athletics content.
• Zips Team Shops Merchandise Official Akron Zips apparel, sideline gear, and fan merchandise sold online and through team shops via the Nike and BSN partnership.
• Zips Athletic Club Membership Membership program providing donors with benefits and supporting fundraising for Akron Athletics student-athletes and programs.
• Party on Vine Street Pregame Tailgate Free pregame fan experience featuring food trucks, games, music, and mascot appearances before Zips football home games.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Sponsorship arrangements providing corporate partners visibility through signage, branding, and activation tied to Akron Athletics events and programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75.1% increase in overall ticket revenue over three years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TaymarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 July 2026Taymar handles ticket sales and operations for all Akron Athletics ticketed sports. Achieved four consecutive years of year-over-year revenue growth, 193% growth in football group ticket revenue, 126% growth in men's basketball group ticket volume, and 75.1% overall ticket revenue increase. Generated over $2.5M cumulative ticket revenue since 2022. Akron represents Taymar's first client in Ohio and the only MAC school working with the company. Adam Plyler joins as GM of Ticket Sales and Operations.
• NikecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026New partnership with Nike enables access to same sideline gear as teams. Launch of Zips Fan Shop with Nike and BSN partnership. Team shops launching four times throughout 2026-27 year.
• BSN SportscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026BSN team sports partnership for official merchandise. New Zips Fan Shop and sport-specific Team Shops launching multiple times yearly.
• Mid-Ohio Forklifts, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Corporate partnership with family-owned company serving Akron community for 60 years. Reflects shared commitment to community engagement and developing next generation of leaders. Company founded in 1966, headquartered in Akron with additional location in Mansfield.
• Akron Children's HospitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare partner affiliation indicated in footer and branding. Sponsorship relationship supporting athletics programs.
• Summa HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNaming rights partner for InfoCision Stadium Summa Health Field football stadium.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western Michigan Broncos: MAC rival with comparable NCAA Division I athletics. Operates similar merchandise, ticketing, and donation infrastructure, competing directly for regional Midwest exposure and conference positioning.
• Ohio Bobcats: MAC conference member with a comparable NCAA Division I portfolio including FBS football. Provides direct comparability for MAC athletics revenue, ticket operations vendor mix, and sponsorship category overlap.
• Buffalo Bulls: MAC peer with a similar NCAA Division I athletics portfolio. Operates analogous digital ticketing, merchandise, and corporate sponsorship revenue streams and is a direct competitor within the MAC conference.
• Bowling Green Falcons: Ohio-based MAC peer with overlapping Ohio recruiting footprint and similar athletics department scale. Competes for the same regional sponsors, ticket buyers, and high school recruits in the Midwest.
• Miami RedHawks (Miami of Ohio): MAC peer with NCAA Division I athletics including FBS football. Operates a similar non-profit, state-university-aligned athletics department with multi-channel ticketing and corporate sponsorship revenue.
• Eastern Michigan Eagles: MAC member with a similar mid-major Division I athletics profile. Comparable in scale of varsity programs, ticketing operations, and corporate sponsorship categories, making it a relevant peer for benchmarking.
• Ball State Cardinals: Mid-American Conference peer with FBS football and similar Division I breadth. Comparable athletics department revenue profile, making it a direct benchmark for MAC ticket sales, sponsorships, and donor dynamics.
• Kent State Golden Flashes: In-state MAC conference rival with a similar NCAA Division I athletics portfolio. Operates the same GTM mix of digital ticketing, group sales, and corporate sponsorships, and competes directly for Northeast Ohio donors and fans.
• Toledo Rockets: MAC peer with comparable FBS football and Division I basketball profile. Operates digital ticketing, merchandise, and corporate sponsorship revenue streams of similar scale and is a direct competitor for MAC media positioning and postseason revenue.
• Central Michigan Chippewas: MAC conference member with comparable NCAA Division I athletics including FBS football. Direct competitor for MAC media revenue share and similar athletics department operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AkronZips
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ZipsAthletics
• Facebookfacebook.com/AkronZips
• Instagraminstagram.com/zipsathletics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Akron Athletics