Launch Story: AD Vantage Hits the Mark

AD Vantage is setting the new standard in athletics data intelligence.

NCAA DI athletics departments manage $18B a year, yet most decisions are still made in the dark.

Of course, the professionals at the helm have decades worth of experience, but with the rapidly changing landscape, “gut instinct” can’t be the sole backbone of critical decisions. 

“AD Vantage is a must-have tool for any administrator in college athletics or for anyone else in the college athletics space. Access to current, accurate data is paramount to decision-making, and in today's fast-paced world of college athletics, nobody can provide more comprehensive information or deliver faster than AD Vantage.” - Hank Harrawood, Division I Deputy AD

Why now? What’s changed?

A convergence of factors has created the perfect storm that leaves Athletics Directors (ADs) and their teams reeling with what to tackle first:

• The historic NCAA House Settlement is reshaping athletic budgets

• Conference realignment is accelerating operational complexity

• Calls for fiscal accountability and management transparency are rising

• Staffing expectations are outpacing infrastructure capacity

• Compensation numbers are inflating alongside a lack of benchmarking data

When you’re up against any one of these issues, it’s enough to invest in software, but with all of these concurring, programs will either be prepared to enter this new era of data or doomed to play catch-up at an alarming rate.

“We’ve always had data. What AD Vantage gives us is context. It helps us see the full picture across contracts, performance, and spending — and make better decisions because of it.” — Chris Thomasson, Senior Associate AD of Charlotte

Who we are

AD Vantage is headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, with a team of uniquely talented contributors, connected by a belief in what AD Vantage brings to athletic programs and, more broadly, a faith in something greater than themselves. The conference table is lively, full of laughter, and balanced. 

Our starting line-up:

Tanner Stump, Founder & CEO

Caleb Robey, Co-Founder

Mackenzie Robey, Data Engineer

Kristen Flaniken, Client Solutions 

Smitty Penman, Software Engineer

Will Penman, Software Engineer

Jantzen Raymond, Sales

Remi Ewing, Data Engineer Intern

Caroline Ciell Richman, Marketing Intern

Dr. Mónica M. Lebrón, AD Vantage Consultant

Across our team, there are 14 children, 2 pets, and nearly a century of professional experience. 

Founder & CEO Tanner Stump knows the NCAA DI landscape. He coached Men’s Tennis at the University of Florida and won a National Championship before launching a successful consulting business. He had a bigger vision for how to make a sustainable impact in the collegiate sports landscape:

“As a coach, I often felt in the dark when it came to key data points. What I later realized was that administrators felt the same frustration — neither side had a clear, reliable picture of what was really out there. That’s what led me to build AD Vantage: a trusted source of truth for collegiate athletics that everyone within an athletics department can rely on.” - Tanner Stump, Founder & CEO

Yes, there are other brands out there that offer you single-purpose tools and manual workflows. At AD Vantage, we make data work for you. We layer performance, compensation, and spending data together in unison. The result – a new visibility that hasn’t been seen before in the college sports landscape.

“From the moment Tanner provided an AD Vantage demonstration, I was hooked. As a Division I collegiate athletics administrator for almost three decades, I am convinced this is the strongest product of its kind in the market today. Its capabilities far exceed those of its competitors, and it's a more affordable alternative as we continue to prioritize cost savings. It's modern technology, with the data updating daily, supports department efficiencies, consequently saving on expenses while boosting the bottom line." – Dr. Mónica M. Lebrón, AD Vantage Consultant

AD Vantage is a full-platform solution that moves beyond a single-use tool. It’s a database that unifies and structures information to provide predictive hiring intelligence. 

We know that the key to success on the field, court, pool, or track starts in the back office. That’s why we’ve built a platform that’s department-centric and does the hard work of data collection for you – so that you can focus on what really matters, the people that power your program. 

We’re taking off to new heights, and bringing innovators with us who can’t wait for the next wave of uncertainties to push them off course. 

Don’t take our word for it. With 8 new partners and trusted institutions like Boise State, Clemson, and the Mountain West Conference league office on board, we come with testimonies on how our actionable insights are empowering leaders to make data-backed decisions for the durable success of their programs.

Come join us on the journey to change the game in collegiate sport analytics at AD Vantage, Where Victory is Vetted. 

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