GREENVILLE, N.C.,  September 17th , 2026. Today ECU Athletics, The Pirate Club and Impact Card announce a first-of-its-kind co-branded credit card and financial technology rewards platform designed to connect Pirate Nation like never before, turning everyday spending into Impact Points, exclusive experiences, and direct support for ECU Athletics. As ECU Athletics’ exclusive multimedia rights holder, Playfly Sports provided the IP and assets for the partnership.

Impact Card is a university-designed co-branded credit card and rewards platform built at the intersection of college athletics, community and everyday spending. The Impact Card will provide Pirate alumni, fans, and families with opportunities to earn rewards and gain access to unique experiences while every swipe drives new revenue directly to ECU Athletics.

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"The next frontier for college athletics is right in front of us and this partnership reflects exactly the kind of new, bold thinking ECU Athletics is focused on," said Jon Gilbert, Director of Athletics at East Carolina University. “Our fans and supporters have always shown up for this university & athletics department, and the Impact Card gives them a way to be rewarded for that loyalty every single day, not just on gameday.”

Introducing the Impact Card for ECU

Every cardholder purchase earns Impact Points, redeemable inside the Impact Card platform for ECU experiences, tickets, and direct donations to programs Pirate Nation cares about most. Purchases made on ECU related spending, categories like athletics tickets, official merchandise, and gameday concessions, will earn three to five times the standard rate of Impact Points, with the full list of eligible categories announced closer to launch.

Separately, new cardholders who spend $8,000 within their first six months of account opening will earn Pirate Club Priority Points, a distinct Pirate Club benefit that gives them a faster path toward the seating priority and access that Pirate Club members value most.

“The Impact Card creates an opportunity for fans to turn purchases they already make into meaningful rewards and additional support for the Pirates. We believe this can become another valuable benefit for Pirate Nation, and we are excited about its potential.” said ECU Pirate Club Executive Director Ryan Robinson.

‍Here's what cardholders can expect from the Impact Card:

• Points that open doors, not just discounts: Redeem for travel, everyday essentials, or the kind of Pirate Nation access that used to require a season of saving up.
• Experiences money couldn't always buy: Want to raise the No Quarter flag? Throw out the first pitch? Lead the team out of the tunnel on a Saturday in Greenville? For decades, moments like these belonged to a handful of names on a donor wall. Impact Card changes who gets access, giving every cardholder a real path to experiences that used to be reserved for the university's largest supporters.
• A card that gives back to ECU Athletics through the Pirate Club: Every dollar spent on the Impact Card generates new revenue for ECU Athletics, funding scholarships, facilities, and the programs that matter most to Pirate Nation, without costing cardholders anything extra.
• Built for a lifetime of loyalty: Alumni, season ticket holders, students, and ECU families can all carry the card, because the loyalty that lasts a lifetime deserves to be rewarded the same way, whether you graduated last spring or forty years ago. 

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"The Impact Card creates a new layer of connection between Pirate Nation, ECU Athletics, and the corporate partners who support them," said Mike Shayotovich, General Manager at Playfly’s ECU Sports Properties. "We see this as a powerful new platform for our partners to engage fans through exclusive offers and experiences, and we're excited to help grow it."

"I bleed purple and gold. That doesn't change after graduation, it doesn't change with time, it's forever," said Worth Gregory, Co-Founder of Impact Card and a former ECU football player. "Some of my closest friendships and best memories came from my time at ECU. Vin and I built this company because we wanted a real way to support the schools we love, not once a year, but every day. Starting with ECU was never a business decision. It's personal."

Impact Card will share more details on card design, the full points structure, and additional redemption experiences as launch approaches later THIS FALL.

Want early access to the Impact Card for ECU? Join the waitlist at myimpactcard.com/ecucard to be first in line when the card becomes available.

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Media Contacts

Worth Gregory

Co-Founder & President, Impact Card

Worth@impactcardfinancial.com

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