RICHMOND, Va. — VCU Athletics is proud to announce an expanded partnership with Marco's Pizza at 3034 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., an agreement that establishes Marco's as the Official Pizza of VCU Athletics.

This relationship with local multi-unit franchisees Brandon Hudson and Damion Mason brings together two organizations committed to delivering memorable experiences and building meaningful connections throughout the Richmond community.

Marco's Pizza has grown into one of the nation's leading pizza brands, with more than 1,200 locations across the United States and internationally. Known for its commitment to quality ingredients and authentic Italian-inspired pizza, Marco's continues to expand its footprint while creating strong connections within the communities it serves.

"We are excited to see Marco's Pizza in Richmond grow its relationship with VCU Athletics and become the Official Pizza of the Rams," said Erik Lowery, General Manager of VCU Sports Properties. "Marco's has been a great partner, and this expanded relationship reflects their continued commitment to connecting with Ram fans and the Richmond community. We look forward to building on that momentum and creating memorable experiences together."

As the Official Pizza of VCU Athletics, Marco's will have a strong presence throughout the year. Fans can enjoy Marco's Pizza at the Siegel Center while also engaging with the brand through activations across the VCU campus, in-venue experiences, digital content and special promotions. This relationship will create new opportunities for fans and students to connect with Marco's while supporting VCU student-athletes and celebrating the excitement surrounding the Rams.

"As a Richmond business owner, there's nothing more rewarding than partnering with an organization that means so much to this community. VCU Athletics brings people together through school spirit, pride and unforgettable moments, and that's exactly the kind of connection we strive to create at Marco's Pizza. We're excited to fuel Ram fans all season long, support VCU student-athletes, and become part of the game day traditions that make Richmond such a special place to call home," said Hudson, multi-unit Marco's Pizza franchisee and President of the Marco's Pizza Foundation.
 
ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA
Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives to deliver a high-quality pizza experience, known for its dough made from scratch and its three fresh signature cheeses. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate over 1,200 stores in 35 states with locations in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Notably, Marco's was recognized as America's Favorite Restaurant in the Limited-Service Pizza category by Nation's Restaurant News using Technomic Ignite Consumer 2025 data^??. Other recent accolades include being recognized by QSR as one of the "16 Best Franchise Deals for 2025", ranking No. 50 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2026 "Franchise 500" ranking, earning a coveted spot as the only top 5 pizza chain to rank on Newsweek's 2025 "America's Best Customer Service" in pizza chains list, earning a spot on QSR's Top 50, and being featured on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 500" ranking.    

^??According to Technomic's 2025 America's Favorite Restaurants data, Marco's Pizza secured the top spot in the Limited-Service Pizza category with a 54.6% composite top-box rating, indicating the share of recent guests who gave the brand the highest possible rating for each of the guest experience attributes. Data for America's Favorite Chains comes from Technomic Ignite Consumer, which collects information about how brands impact consumers and how consumers interact with those brands, via online surveys. See here for more information: www.technomic.com/ignite-consumer.