NACMA PODCAST

This discussion explores the importance of building and managing relationships across departments and external partners. It highlights how collaboration between units can drive success in areas like fan development, marketing, and the overall fan experience. The conversation focuses on aligning goals, breaking down silos, and leveraging the strengths of multiple teams to create a more coordinated and effective approach.

This month’s podcast explores the impact of gameday traditions and in-venue elements on the overall fan experience. From mascots and walk-out songs to uniforms and crowd chants, we’ll discuss how these elements shape atmosphere, build identity, and create lasting connections with fans beyond gameday.

Your facility is more than a venue—it’s a revenue opportunity. Learn how collegiate and professional programs are activating their facilities on gamedays and beyond to unlock new, creative revenue streams.

A focused conversation on how MMR partners and athletics marketing teams can align, communicate, and collaborate to reach shared goals. From sales season launch to mid-year check-ins, this episode highlights practical strategies, common challenges, and ways both sides can work together to maximize revenue, elevate the fan experience, and strengthen the athletics brand.

This discussion takes a deep dive into Influencer Branding at institutions and how to leverage opportunities for our student-athletes while maintaining the branding standards for our department.

Matt Lavery, Associate AD for Marketing and Fan Engagement at Coastal Carolina, will dive into a topic that many departments are wrestling with: the divorce of marketing and fan experience. We’ll explore how different athletics departments are structuring — or restructuring — their teams, what’s driving the shift, and how these models are impacting revenue, collaboration and the in-venue experience. Matt is joined by co-hosts, Sam DeMuzio from Mississippi State and Ashley Terry from Maryland. Today’s guests bring first-hand insight from two departments who have already lived this transition: Jake Stocker, Director of Game Presentation and Fan Experience at Michigan and Jordan Looby, Associate AD of Marketing and Revenue Strategy at Maryland. They’ll walk us through when and why their programs split these units, what’s worked, what hasn’t and what’s next as college athletics continues to evolve.

We’re taking you behind the scenes to show you how new sport-specific logos come to life to elevate the brand and generate incremental revenue. Hear from Lori Burens from the University of Pittsburgh, Suzette McQueen from Kent State University, and Scott Howell from CLC as they break down the creative process, marketing & brand strategy, and execution of new sport-specific logo launches.

This interview is with former NACMA board member Tyler Jones, Deputy AD, Chief Strategy Officer and General Manager at the University of Virginia focused on transferable skills between his experiences in marketing, revenue generation, NIL and player management.

Today we discuss the branding behind Eastern Michigan University with Greg Steiner and University of Colorado Boulder with Brent DePaepe and Lexi Hartmann. We discuss maintaining brand integrity with the use of team specific logos, how vault marks are approved and used, also the approach to social media voice and tone, and much more. Tune in for tips and insights on how to maintain your brand and differentiating your social media voice.

Cruisin’ with the Cougs with BYU Senior Associate ADfor External Operations David Almodova.

NACMA announced at its recent convention that Virginia Tech (Group 1), University of Montana (Group 2) and Minnesota State University Moorhead (Group 3) as its 2025 Marketing Team of the Year Award (MTOY) recipients, presented by PrestoSports.

As big changes are coming to college athletics, it is increasingly important that we, as marketers, not only generate revenue, but also help fans understand the importance of their financial support. Tennessee Senior Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Revenue Officer, Ryan Alpert, and Colorado Director of Athletics Strategic Communications, Steve Hurlbert, join members of the NACMA Research and Resources Committee to discuss common revenue sharing myths as well as tools and best practices to educate our fans.

Hear from Jon Wepking, associate AD for external relations at MSU Moorhead, who talks about turning a non-revenue generating event into a huge revenue generator for the university. Out of a problem for the cross-country team came a solution that led to more than $14,000 in participation revenue and over $11,000 in ticket sales! Listen to Jon talk about the planning and execution of this unique event.

In this session, we take time to sit down with 2024 Best Of Award winners for the Brand Management Category. Listen to hear from Caitlin Opp & Chris Fowler (Wake Forest) and Emily Ysselstein (Waterloo) on their gold-winning submissions!

In today’s competitive marketing landscape, cities and institutions are no longer just locations—they are brands in their own right. Join us for an exciting webinar series where we’ll dive deep into the art and strategy of branding your city for large moments or even year-round. Whether you’re a city official, an athletic marketing pro, team leader, or a passionate community member, this webinar will provide valuable insights on how to build a unique identity for your city, attract investment, boost tourism, and foster local pride while focusing on your institutional identity. Learn from industry experts, successful campaigns, and actionable strategies that will help you shape a city brand that resonates both locally and regionally. Don't miss the chance to turn your city into a thriving brand experience!

You've been in the industry for a year or two, and you think you have started to figure out our world; what's next?

Marketers across the country discuss best practices for athletics branding and collaborating with campus partners on unique opportunities. Specific examples dive into stadium naming rights, sport-specific logos and licensing. 

Exploring how different marketing strategies can all lead to unique, gold-winning, student engagement opportunities. NC State, Creighton & Wayne State discuss their NACMA Best Of Gold submission in the Student Engagement category.

Join marketers from JMU and Virginia Tech as they discuss working closely with their MMR partners to create fan engaging content for in-game promotions, including videoboards. Hear from the MMR side as well as the GM of Redbird Sports Properties joins the conversation!

Hear from Dr. Becky Achen on the reasoning for partnering with NACMA on the research conducted and hear about some initial findings. Come learn more and take a deeper dive into the results onsite at convention at 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 11 in Oceanside Ballroom D!

How to Approach Summer Internship/Career Searching

Job Interviews 101: What to expect and how to prepare

Improving your relationship between your multimedia rights holder and your marketing staff.

How to work cohesively across campus when utilizing the institutional brand and I.P. while keeping "up to date" on all the changes that continue to come our way with name, image, and likeness!

Experts in the college athletics digital space share best practices and various ways they try to maximize revenue through email, social media (paid & organic), website, SMS and mobile app on their respective campuses.

o   Hosts Lala Kekuewa, Assistant Director of Marketing Strategy & Fan Experience – University of Maryland Ricky Zum Mallen, Associate Athletic Director for Marketing & Promotions – University of Colorado o   Guests Rachel Ripken, Assistant Athletic Director for Community Outreach – University of Colorado Brian Kubasik, Director of Operations for One Maryland Collective – Blueprint Alex Lais, Associate Athletic Director for Fan Engagement & Revenue Generation – Northern Arizona University

Description: The intersection of diversity, equity and inclusion with the importance of mental health awareness and support for our student-athletes is arguably the most important piece of the student-athlete experience. During this call, we are bringing together collegiate athletics administrators to discuss how these two topics are intertwined in our workspaces today to support not only our student-athletes, but our staffs, as well.  Panelists: Ariana Palmer – Director of Marketing and Engagement, University of Delaware Diandra Walker – Psychological Health and Performance Clinical Administration Specialist & former DE&I Coordinator, University of Colorado Boulder Marissa Bayer – Director of Marketing and Fan Experience, University of Cincinnati

Diving into capitalizing on your event spaces to generate more dollars for your school.  Presenters: Ariana Palmer: Director of Marketing & Engagement at Delaware Athletics Sarah Kraynik: Director of Sales & Marketing at OVG360 | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center (FSU) Byron Synstegaard: Assistant Director of Athletics Sport Operations at Minnesota State Athletics Ben Nelson: Marketing & Facilities Program Coordinator at Minnesota State Athletics Moderator: Scott Nelsen: Senior Associate Athletic Director/Marketing & Communications at Minnesota State Athletics

Hear from Tim Doyle at Ohio University, Allie Popp at the University of Arkansas and Kelsey Laverdiere from the University Iowa as they discuss their strategies for expanding their success beyond the "big game." You'll learn what they did to drive attendance and what they learned for future games to continue hosting positive events.

Takeaways: Working with trends that last, Make it Your Own, and Managing Expectations NACMA Members: Audrey Gunther, Providence College / Brooke Robinson, Wisconsin / Riley Fitzpatrick, Vanderbilt Guest: Nate Bain, Director of Social + Influencer Marketing Strategy for the Tennessee Titans

Looking at the strategy behind Olympic sport revenue generation and the impact marketing has on it.

Hear from our 3 Pillars host school representative Charles Branch, assistant AD for marketing at Texas, and participants Alyssa Leonard, associate AD for marketing at Vanderbilt University, and Scott Peace, associate AD for marketing and fan engagement at Kent State University, on their Texas experience.

Hear from our 3 Pillars host school representative Matt Smith, associate director of marketing at Ole Miss, and participants Carlos Garcia, associate AD for marketing and fan engagement at Santa Clara University, and Michelle Pontiff, assistant AD for marketing and promotions at University of San Diego, on their Ole Miss experience.