Race Director University Launches Sponsorship Portal Connecting Brands with Certified Event Professionals

January 15, 2026

New Platform Gives Sponsors Direct Access to Credentialed Race Directors

DeKalb, Ill. (January 15, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Race Director University (RDU) has launched the RDU Sponsorship Portal, a platform designed to connect brands, vendors, and sponsors directly with certified race directors seeking partnerships for their endurance events.

The Sponsorship Portal addresses a persistent challenge in the endurance events industry: the disconnect between brands looking to sponsor events and race directors seeking sponsorship support. The platform allows sponsors to search, filter, and connect with RDU-certified event professionals who match their marketing objectives.

“Sponsors have been burned too many times,” said Gregory J. Evans, M.S., Ed., Founder and CEO of Race Director University. “They get promised logo placement and end up as one of 40 tiny logos on the back of a t-shirt that nobody reads. They give away product or write checks and never receive a post-event report. No photos, no metrics, no follow-up. The Sponsorship Portal changes that. Every race director on this platform has earned RDU certification—sponsors know they’re connecting with professionals who understand sponsor activation, deliverables, and accountability.”

Race directors who complete RDU certification are automatically listed in the Sponsorship Portal, making them visible to brands actively seeking partnership opportunities. This creates an additional incentive for event professionals to pursue certification—not just for education, but to be discovered by sponsors looking for credentialed professionals.

The platform offers tiered partnership packages for sponsors, ranging from basic directory listings to premium featured placements with direct messaging capabilities. Sponsors can filter race directors by event type, geographic region, participant volume, and demographic reach.

The U.S. endurance events industry produces approximately 35,000 road races, triathlons, and multi-sport events annually, representing a $2.5 billion market. RDU provides the only national certification program connecting sponsors with credentialed professionals in this space.

For more information, visit www.racedirectoruniversity.com/sponsors.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Gregory J. Evans, M.S., Ed.

Founder & CEO, Race Director University

www.racedirectoruniversity.com