Michigan State has launched Spartan Ventures, a new nonprofit corporation created to run the business side of the school's athletics department more like a private company.
MSU's Board of Trustees authorized the move in October 2025, and it officially launched today.
According to a press release, the change will restructure how the athletics department at MSU is structured, including the following changes:
- Spartan Ventures: A non-profit, tax-exempt corporation which aligns the commercial operations of Michigan State Athletics, allowing them to work with the precision and flexibility of a private corporation in support of Michigan State Athletics and Spartan student-athletes.
- Spartan Media Ventures: A for-profit corporation built to elevate the brand of Michigan State Athletics, facilitate capital investment to accelerate the commercial operations of Spartan Ventures, and to enhance student-athlete opportunities.
- Spartan Athletic Foundation: Spartan Fund operations move over to the Spartan Athletic Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation operating as a subsidiary of Spartan Ventures. The Spartan Athletic Foundation will focus on increased connection and enhanced opportunities for Spartan donors, while continuing its core purpose of raising money in support of Michigan State Athletics. Donors will maintain their Spartan Priority Points during the transition.Although Spartan Ventures is new, the idea of affiliated entities on the Michigan State campus is not unique. In 1973, the Michigan State University Research Foundation was founded as an independent non-profit corporation. Since then, it’s invested $400 million back into the University to support research and entrepreneurship.
The release, which was by Spartan Ventures CEO Joe Palumbo,
president and chief commercial officer Jared Kozinn, and president of Spartan Athletic Foundation Tim House, stresses the need to maximize revenue in today's highly competitive collegiate athletics landscape.
"Athletics is based around competition and, ultimately, we’re measured by the results on the scoreboard," read the statement. "Spartan Ventures provides Michigan State with the infrastructure and resources to attract and retain student-athletes, coaches and staff. Specifically, the department will be able to dramatically increase its commitment to student-athlete commercial opportunities."
Spartan Ventures has a seven-person board, including three spots reserved for the MSU Board of Trustees Chair, the MSU President and the MSU Director of Athletics. The four outside members all have a long history of supporting MSU and understand maintaining the core mission and values of the university is the path of success for Spartan Ventures.
Spartan Media Ventures is a for-profit corporation built to enhance the brand of MSU Athletics and facilitate capital investment by friends of the program. It is structured to leverage and monetize future media rights revenue, sponsorship inventory and branding opportunities. Furthermore, there are guardrails in place to ensure that Michigan State will never lose control of department operations.
In total, 46 employees have been hired by Spartan Ventures, with more positions still to be filled. Additional Michigan State Athletics staff members will have some portion of their time allocated to Spartan Ventures.
