Ricky Ray to Expand Reach and Visibility of Hatter Athletics
- Stetson University has entered into a partnership with Affinity to manage its trademark licensing services.
- The initiative is part of a broader strategic effort to expand the university's athletic brand.
- The move toward enhanced licensing and brand visibility comes under the leadership of Ricky Ray, who serves as the Director of Athletics at Stetson University.
Stetson University has entered into a partnership with Affinity to manage its trademark licensing services. The collaboration is designed to enhance the reach and visibility of Hatter Athletics through professional licensing expertise and personal service.
The initiative is part of a broader strategic effort to expand the university’s athletic brand. According to the announcement, the expertise provided by Affinity will help the university increase its visibility and create further opportunities for the athletics program.
Leadership Under Ricky Ray
The move toward enhanced licensing and brand visibility comes under the leadership of Ricky Ray, who serves as the Director of Athletics at Stetson University. Ray was announced as the new Director of Athletics on April 4, 2024, by Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD.
Ray joined Stetson with more than 20 years of leadership experience in intercollegiate athletics. Prior to his appointment at Stetson, he served as the Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Operations at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
In interviews regarding his vision for the program, Ray has emphasized that his primary goal is ensuring that students have a positive experience. His professional background includes early experience working within the athletic department at Campbell University during his undergraduate years.
Recent Revenue and Infrastructure Developments
The partnership with Affinity follows other recent efforts to modernize and monetize the Stetson athletics experience. On March 24, 2026, Stetson Athletics announced a multimedia rights (MMR) agreement with Playfly Sports, a company described as a leader in sports industry revenue.
In addition to revenue-generating partnerships, the university has invested in physical infrastructure to support its athletes. Recent completions include a new weight room, which provides a second full-training space for Hatter athletes, and an expansion of the Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex.
These developments reflect a comprehensive approach to departmental growth, combining facility upgrades, multimedia rights agreements, and the new trademark licensing partnership with Affinity to stabilize and grow the Hatter brand.