University of Michigan Athletics and Uptop launch Wolverine Rewards to ignite unforgettable fan moments

One program turns fan support and daily spend into tickets, gear, and access.

University of Michigan Athletics announced today 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 September 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.