Erika Barnes
Erika Barnes, a veteran leader in collegiate athletics, has announced the launch of EB7 Advisory Group, a strategic consulting firm elevating collegiate athletics programs and leaders through innovative business strategies, progressive governance solutions, enhancement of the student-athlete experience, and building teamwork cultures.
“We are in a pivotal era in collegiate athletics that demands an intentional balance between thinking outside of the box, transforming current models and celebrating the incredible mission of college athletics,” said Barnes. “EB7 bridges that gap by bringing the very best thought and action leaders together to build sustainable collegiate athletics conferences and athletics departments that will continue to provide world-class experiences for student-athletes.”
In addition to its current partners, EB7 will work alongside WME Sports, which the Arizona Board of Regents engaged to advise the athletic programs at Arizona State, Arizona and Northern Arizona universities on changes to the college landscape in this first-of-its-kind arrangement for the firm. The team will focus on assisting with areas including brand positioning, NIL development, media strategy and revenue generation.
EB7 has four fundamental consulting pillars: Strategic Planning and Governance – innovative operational and organizational strategies, tactics, integration and analytics; Revenue Generation and Business Enterprise – business partnerships and development, fiscal and NIL planning and stewardship; capital giving, corporate partnerships, activation, and brand awareness; Student-Athlete Experience – student-athlete service units, mentorship programs; and Culture and Team Building – staff and coach training and education programs.
EB7 works with collegiate athletics brands to elevate their business strategies in addition to public and private sector organizations, such as private equity, governing boards, and legislators, to bridge gaps, open doors, and break down barriers.
