USC

USC engaged Elevate to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for Dedeaux Field as part of over $200M in athletic upgrades, with the goal of maximizing revenue, enhancing the fan experience, and informing a financially impactful renovation. Elevate also advised on new business strategies for football and basketball to support USC’s transition to a new athletic conference.

USC faced the dual challenge of modernizing Dedeaux Field to meet evolving fan expectations while ensuring the renovation generated sustainable revenue growth. The university also needed to adapt its athletic business strategies to a new conference landscape, balancing stakeholder priorities, fan engagement, and donor expectations in a competitive collegiate sports market.

Elevate executed a strategic, data-driven approach that combined industry benchmarking, stakeholder interviews, fan surveys, and virtual focus groups to inform renovation and ticketing decisions. The team developed a Strategic Action Plan including optimized ticketed and premium seating offerings, pricing strategies, and capacity recommendations, incorporating direct feedback from donors, season ticket holders, and single-game buyers. Elevate also consolidated the sales process to enhance renewal and payment flows and introduced a per-seat revenue model projecting a minimum 10% lift.