LIVINGSTON, Ala. (Sept. 4, 2025) – The University of West Alabama Rodeo team (UWA Rodeo) and Learfield College Rodeo, a division of Learfield aimed at enhancing collegiate rodeo programs and increasing exposure for the sport, are excited to announce a new partnership beginning with the 2025-26 collegiate rodeo season.
Through the collaboration, Learfield will utilize its innovative, data-driven strategies in digital and on-site fan engagement, in-venue branding, original content development through Learfield Studios, and integration with student-athlete name, image and likeness (NIL), among other marketing assets, to deliver authentic fan connections for local, regional and national brands, as it does for nearly 150 college athletics departments around the country.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Learfield College Rodeo,” said Daniel Pool, UWA Rodeo Head Coach. “They have become a major asset to some of the most elite collegiate rodeo programs in the country due to their social media presences, leadership team and financial connections. Needless to say, we are honored to jump on board.”
Learfield College Rodeo has been committed to advancing college rodeo while celebrating the widespread influence and popularity of western heritage and culture since the division’s inception in the summer of 2023. Through the College Rodeo division, Learfield leverages its longtime success in providing sports and cross-campus marketing solutions to deliver new opportunities for college rodeo teams. UWA Rodeo is now the 16th program to join the Learfield College Rodeo program, which also added the Central Rocky Mountain Region as its first regional partner in May 2024.
“We're excited to welcome another school from the Ozark Region to the Learfield College Rodeo family,” said Brad Poe, Vice President & General Manager of Learfield College Rodeo. “The University of West Alabama has a great history of success, most recently winning back-to-back women's national titles in 2023 and 2024, and we're grateful for the opportunity to help them continue to build upon a championship experience for their rodeo student-athletes.”
Led by Poole for the last six seasons, the Tigers begin the 2025-26 collegiate rodeo season with both programs ranked inside the Top 20 nationally following highly successful 2024-25 seasons highlighted by two wins for the men, four wins for the women, and a College National Finals Rodeo appearance for both teams. The Tigers compete in the Ozark Region, alongside fellow LCR partner Southern Arkansas, in which the UWA Women’s Rodeo team has claimed four consecutive region titles to go along with their 2023 and 2024 national titles. UWA Rodeo’s 2025-26 season begins Sep. 18-20 at the Missouri Valley Challenge in Marshall, Missouri.
About Learfield
Learfield is the media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.