UNSPSC 80172201: Academic sponsorship

Sponsorship of an individual, group or event by an educational group, program or organization --such as a college, university or academic alliance. Sponsorship activity can take many forms including event banners, breakfast, gold, platinum, even booth space on a show floor, all for a fee.

UNSPSC 80172201 Academic sponsorship (Commodity) encompasses corporate and brand partnerships with public parks, recreational facilities, cultural events, educational programs, and state agencies, where state and local governments solicit financial and in-kind contributions in exchange for naming rights, event title sponsorships, promotional recognition, and facility visibility. State and local buyers under this code include cities (Doral, Kissimmee, Holly Springs), state agencies (Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet), and regional tourism or education bodies, with substantial repeat activity from Kentucky state agencies across multiple facility and program sponsorships. Work solicited ranges from multi-year naming-rights partnerships for parks and amphitheaters to single-season event sponsorships, program support for student organizations, and facility-specific naming opportunities such as pavilions, barns, and competition rings, with financial commitments typically ranging from $3,750 to $50,000 annually depending on the visibility and scope of the sponsorship tier.

Recent activity concentrates in Florida and Kentucky, with secondary representation from Georgia and Illinois. The City of Doral issued an ITN on October 5, 2026, for exclusive 20-year naming rights to Doral Central Park with financial contributions between $175,000 and $250,000 and a response deadline of June 16, 2026. The City of Kissimmee posted multiple RFPs and an RFI in late September 2026 for title sponsorship of the Kissimmee Festival of Lights (targeting $25,000–$50,000 investment, due August 24, 2026) and flexible sponsorships for parks and recreation events with no specified dollar floor. The Kentucky Horse Park (Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet) issued multiple RFPs in April 2026 for pavilion naming rights, Big Barn sponsorship, visitor map sponsorship, Hall of Champions, and Warm-Up Ring naming rights, all due April 30, 2026, with annual fees ranging from $7,500 to $50,000 and minimum two-year terms. The Kentucky Department of Education solicited conference sponsorships for the Kentucky Educators Rising Program with four tiers ($5,000–$45,000+) and a response deadline of May 15, 2026. The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet posted two Governor's Conference sponsorship solicitations (June 22 and July 30, 2026) with five pricing tiers from $200 to $10,000, both due by mid-August 2026. The City of Holly Springs, Georgia, requested naming-rights proposals for the Holly Springs Amphitheatre with a deadline of August 31, 2026, and the Illinois Educational Procurement Consortium posted a small-purchase sole-source solicitation for Family Action Network membership on July 23, 2026.