AUBURN, Ala. – Five-year veteran of Auburn Sports Properties, Ben Harling, has been promoted to General Manager of the property, Playfly Sports Properties and Auburn Athletics announced today. After serving as interim GM since June of 2020, Harling will formally assume the General Manager role, effectively immediately.
“Ben earned this opportunity by providing outstanding leadership and making a seamless transition despite extraordinary pandemic-related challenges,” Director of Athletics Allen Greene said. “His work ethic and commitment to serving corporate partners position Ben to continue to grow the synergy between Auburn Athletics and Auburn Sports Properties. We congratulate Ben on this well-deserved promotion.”
In his second stint at Auburn, Harling will spearhead Auburn’s corporate partnerships with national, regional and local brands through an integrated mix of sport marketing platforms.
“Ben has been an integral part of the Auburn Sports Properties staff for several years,” said Playfly Sports Properties President, David Johnston. “He showed extraordinary leadership through the challenges presented in 2020 and beyond, proving his capability to successfully lead this iconic property long term.”
Harling’s first stint with Auburn Sports Properties began as an Account Executive in January of 2011 following numerous stops at IMG College properties including Troy University and University of Central Florida. Before his return to Auburn in 2016 as Director for Partnership Development, Harling spent three years in business development with Learfield Sports’ Clemson Sports Properties.
In the most recent five years at Auburn, Harling has negotiated and overseen over 40 corporate partnerships including comprehensive deals with Verizon, Cook’s Pest Control, Harbert College of Business and Regions Bank.
About Playfly Sports
Playfly Sports is the full-service, leading sports marketing and media company that enables brands to engage with sports fans on a local, regional, and national level through scaled linear, digital, and experiential assets. Playfly Sports drives outcome-based solutions into 90-million households via more than 7,800 live U.S. broadcasts of MLB, NBA, and NHL games; and influences sports fans of all ages through the management of high school and college multimedia rights, uniform branding, and high-profile sports sponsorship platforms. The company introduces high school and college students to career development opportunities in esports through CSL Esports, operators of North America’s largest college esports league. Playfly Sports has the unique ability to partner, innovate, and advance the aspirations of athletes, brands, academic institutions, and sports fans across the U.S. Playfly Sports is Powered by Partnership. Visit Playfly Sports online at playfly.com and follow Playfly Sports on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook: @PlayflySports.
