After six years with the Milwaukee Bucks’ leadership team, executive vice president of strategy and development Ted Loehrke will assume a new role with the University of Notre Dame to promote its athletic programs.
Loehrke recently was named president of a partnership between the South Bend, Ind. university and sports marketing firms Legends, based in New York City, and JMI Sports LLC, based in San Diego. The companies have made a 12-year agreement with Notre Dame to oversee its athletics sales, marketing, sponsorship, hospitality, multimedia rights and branding services on a local and national level. It will also include its national football radio rights.
Loehrke, a Notre Dame graduate himself, will oversee the partnership’s day-to-day operations and employee functions. He will also work to secure national corporate partnerships for the athletic program.
In his previous executive role with the Bucks, Loehrke headed the business development efforts and revenue strategy for Fiserv Forum, which opens Aug. 26 in downtown Milwaukee. He was hired in 2012 as senior vice president, chief revenue officer, and was promoted to his most recent position in 2015 after the Bucks were purchased by a new ownership team.
Prior to his time with the Bucks, Loehrke worked for the NBA in New York City as senior vice president of its team marketing and business operations group.
“It’s truly an honor to represent Notre Dame, and I look forward to working with our new team and our campus colleagues to develop strategic marketing partnerships and fan engagement platforms that support and amplify the values of the University,” Loehrke said in a news release.
Notre Dame had previously handled most of its own athletic corporate sponsorships and marketing rights through Notre Dame Sports Properties, which was formed in 2003.
“Because we are committed to maintaining the distinctiveness that makes Notre Dame a great brand, it was imperative that we find a leader for this collaboration who understands and can give voice to that distinctiveness,” said Jack Swarbrick, director of athletics at Notre Dame.
