National Amateur Sports and Wake County Schools have entered into a new agreement that will guarantee the district at least $100,000 annually for middle and high school athletics.
Raleigh, N.C. — National Amateur Sports (NAS), the Charlotte-based organization that builds sustainable funding models for public-school athletics, today announced the expansion of its district-wide partnership with Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). The announcement follows coverage in the Charlotte Observer, which highlighted Wake County's approval of a new five-year agreement enabling NAS to manage partnerships on behalf of the district.
The News & Observer reported that the agreement requires no district spending and guarantees Wake County at least $100,000 annually, with the potential for more through shared revenue. The article also underscored the financial pressures facing public schools, noting more than $15 million in budget cuts this year and a growing need for alternative funding to protect student opportunities.
NAS builds funding models designed specifically for public-school systems: centralized rights, unified branding, brand-safe standards, and community partnerships that benefit every school, not just the best-resourced ones. The model helps districts generate sustainable, recurring revenue, build equity across all schools and sports, and do it at no cost to the district.
NAS delivers the program through the Community Athletics Alliance (CAA), its business partnership platform connecting companies with district athletics in a brand-safe, measurable way. Wake County has worked with NAS for several years to broadcast and promote high school athletics; this agreement elevates that into a full district-wide marketing and revenue program.
“Wake County Public Schools has experienced tremendous growth, and our Board of Education faces the difficult task of balancing competing priorities across more than 200 schools,” said Deran Coe, Director of Athletics for WCPSS. “As our district expands, the need for community and business support has only increased, with more schools relying on the same local resources. Unlike many academic programs, athletics in WCPSS are primarily self‑funded through ticket sales and the generosity of booster clubs and community partners. While essential, those efforts can create differences in opportunities from one school to another. NAS aims to bring greater equity to our athletic programs so a student’s ZIP code does not determine the quality of their athletic experience. This partnership allows our community to invest in students through a coordinated, equitable approach that strengthens opportunities for all WCPSS student‑athletes without adding cost to the district.”
Through the Community Athletics Alliance, NAS is now searching for four Sustaining Partners across the Triangle for the 2026-27 school year. This is not a charitable donation but a value exchange: businesses gain authentic, brand-safe access to the local community and measurable impressions across district-wide digital, in-venue, and broadcast assets. Because roughly half of all revenue is shared back with the district, partners also earn the goodwill of families who know they are directly supporting their schools.
"Wake County is one of the largest and most influential districts in the Southeast, and their unified, district-first approach shows what's possible," said James Shipley, CEO of National Amateur Sports. "Our mission is to help schools recognize the value of their athletic assets, protect and enhance them, and connect them with partners who want to reach the local community while supporting one of the most important opportunities we offer kids."
Businesses interested in becoming a Sustaining Partner can visit https://caa.nasathletics.com/wcpss-partnership-information or contact the NAS partnerships team directly.
About National Amateur Sports
National Amateur Sports (NAS) partners with public-school districts to build sustainable funding models for athletics through community partnerships, brand-safe sponsorships, and district-wide marketing programs. NAS currently supports districts across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
