U-M Athletics, Uptop Launch Wolverine Rewards to Ignite Unforgettable Fan Moments
9/14/2026 2:00:00 PM | General
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan Athletics announced Monday (Sept. 14) the launch of Wolverine Rewards, a new fan engagement and loyalty program created in partnership with Uptop, a Rain company. Wolverine Rewards gives Michigan fans another way to be rewarded and recognized for the ways they already support Michigan Athletics. The new program enables fast, reliable earning and redemption for fans by leveraging Uptop's technology and infrastructure built on Avalanche. The agreement with Uptop was facilitated by Learfield's Michigan Sports Properties, the exclusive multimedia rights holder of Michigan Athletics.
Wolverine Rewards will be available to students, alumni and fans at wolverinerewards.com and inside the Michigan Athletics official mobile app starting Sept. 16. Fans create a free account and can link a credit or debit card they already carry, then earn in several ways such as attending events across every major Michigan sport, spending inside Michigan Athletics venues and shopping with participating partners including Meijer, Coca-Cola, CITGO and more. Fans can redeem points for merchandise, memorabilia, tickets and exclusive Michigan Athletics experiences.
Most loyalty programs make the fan do the work. Wolverine Rewards was designed to put Michigan fans first. When a fan links an existing debit/credit card, Uptop recognizes all qualifying purchases at participating merchants automatically, adding points to the fan's balance nearly instantly, allowing them to redeem as soon as they wish.
"We have fans who plan their fall around seven Saturdays and students who never miss a basketball game, and until now we had no single way to recognize either of them," said Jennifer Cadicamo, Vice President and General Manager, Learfield's Michigan Sports Properties. "Wolverine Rewards gives us one program that reaches every seat in our venues and well beyond those walls 24/7/365. We are making it easier for people to keep showing up and then thanking them properly when they do."
"Fan loyalty programs usually fail because they contradict their mission. They aren't putting the fan first. In too many cases, they ask people to remember to do something at checkout," said Zac Sebo, Head of Partnerships, Uptop. "We are removing that friction for Michigan fans. Just link a card once, and the program operates in the background. Fans can then redeem tickets or gear with the points while Michigan can better understand where their fans are engaging and choosing to spend."
Wolverine Rewards will widen after launch, giving fans additional opportunities to benefit. A loaded value credential is planned to be released in the near future. Fans will be able to fund it through their Wolverine Rewards account and use it anywhere they shop, which extends earning well past Michigan venues and partner locations. Michigan and Uptop also plan to add more partner offers and new redemption tiers through the season.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
About Michigan Athletics
Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Michigan began in 1866 with baseball as its first varsity team. Today, U-M supports 29 varsity programs, annually ranking among the nation's premier collegiate athletic departments both on the field and in the classroom. The Wolverines have won 60 national team titles, with ice hockey and men's swimming and diving leading all Division I schools in championships, and student-athletes have claimed 333 NCAA individual titles. Michigan's women's teams have also set milestones, including NCAA team titles in field hockey, softball and women's gymnastics.
U-M's dominance extends to the Big Ten, with a record 425 conference team titles as of 2026 and more titles than any other school in nine sports. Michigan football holds the most all-time victories in college football history, and women's gymnastics has captured 22 of the past 29 Big Ten championships. Academically, Michigan student-athletes have earned over 195 Academic All-America honors. Learn more at MGoBlue.com.
About Uptop
Uptop, a Rain company, is a rewards platform that turns everyday purchases into loyalty across categories including sports, entertainment, travel, dining, and retail. With a simple card-link or receipt-scan, Uptop lets customers earn automatically where they already shop and redeem for perks that matter. Partners and sponsors benefit from measurable outcomes like frequency, basket size, and retention. Backed by Rain, Uptop brings integrated rewards to card and wallet programs at scale. Learn more at https://www.uptop.xyz/.
About Avalanche
Avalanche is a technology platform built for business. Enterprises, financial institutions, consumer applications, and governments run core infrastructure on Avalanche because it delivers the reliability, compliance, and speed that modern operations demand. Users include BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, Apollo, FIFA, and the state of Wyoming. For more information, visit Avalanche.com.
