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It's a big, complex contract, but the bottom line should be simple and sweet for Lobos fans.

The University of New Mexico aims to land more games on local television and haul in more advertising money thanks to a major new deal with Learfield Sports, a Dallas-based company.

UNM athletics reached an agreement with Learfield Sports to make the company its exclusive athletics marketing partner through 2015.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Learfield Sports, the national leader in multimedia rights in intercollegiate athletics," UNM Athletics Director Paul Krebs said in a news release issued by the school. "This critical partnership with Learfield Sports will allow for the continued growth and development of Lobo athletics."

Learfield Sports is launching Lobo Sports Properties to take over the sale of advertising for limited UNM TV broadcasts, coaches shows, facility signs, corporate hospitality, print partnerships for items such as programs, corporate sponsorships and Web site advertising.

Lobo Sports Properties will take over ownership of the radio rights, including coaches shows and live play-by-play broadcasts beginning with the 2008-09 season.

Citadel Broadcasting, which owns both KKOB-AM (770) and KNML-AM (610), is slated to enter a long-term deal with Learfield Sports so that the two stations will continue broadcasting UNM football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The sole difference is after next year, Learfield Sports will handle the advertising sold during those shows.

The school has not reached a final financial deal yet in connection with the agreement, but it is expected to exceed the $3.5 million in marketing revenue UNM made last year.

Under the deal, Darren Dunn is moving from UNM's associate athletics director for corporate development to general manger of Lobo Sports Properties. Joe Weiss also is moving from UNM's assistant director for sales and marketing to account executive for Lobo Sports Properties.

UNM will still handle its own marketing and take care of facilities for all events. CSTV will continue hosting the athletics Web site, so golobos.com won't get a new look.

"The big difference is that we'll be able to bundle all of our multimedia rights and sell it together to both a local and national market," Dunn said. ". . . It will be a gradual process, but we believe it will give us a chance to generate more revenue. This is an eight-year deal and we're looking for gradual process. Nothing that's quality happens overnight."

As early as next season, Dunn said Lobo Sports Properties would be overseeing the television broadcast of a few road games and a handful of home games not being aired by CSTV, the Mountain or Versus.

Lobo Sports Properties would strike deals with local television stations to air the games, while the new company would sell the advertising. The new company's ability to broadcast those games will hinge on striking agreements with CSTV, the Mountain West Conference and the conference representing the opposing team.

"I want to make it clear that CSTV is a tremendous partner, and we just want to supplement what they do," Dunn said. "If there happen to be a few games that CSTV is not interested in covering, we would like to bring those to UNM fans.

". . . I think it would be great if we could broadcast one football game and two or three men's and women's basketball games locally each year. I think fans in the state of New Mexico would love the opportunity to catch a few more games on TV."

Learfield Sports has similar deals with more than 30 other universities, including Mountain West Conference schools San Diego State and Wyoming. The last school Krebs worked at, Bowling Green, also has a deal with Learfield Sports.