SBJ’s Josh Carpenter observes that sports franchises are restructuring their digital departments to capitalize on YouTube's connected television growth by hiring dedicated executives to manage long-form video production. With YouTube driving 45B annual hours of sports consumption, organizations like NASCAR and the Miami Heat are creating specific roles distinct from traditional mobile-focused social media teams. Because sports viewership on connected TVs surged 45% year-over-year as of May 2025, properties are shifting their focus to long-form storytelling and prioritizing "minutes watched" over standard scrolling engagement metrics. The strategy requires distinct programming models, evidenced by the Golden State Warriors recording an average watch time of 19.5 minutes on a 48-minute documentary. YouTube Managing Director and Head of Sports and Live Partnerships Jen Chun: "The partners that really understand the platform no longer view YouTube as ‘social media,’ or house it within their CMO or marketing departments. Increasingly what we’re seeing is folks are dedicating almost what, in the olden days, we would call content programmers to be their YouTube partner." (link)

Ad Age’s Jon Springer reports Coca-Cola-owned Powerade launched a digital out-of-home advertising campaign rebuking sports prediction market company Novig over its controversial "Just Sports" creative featuring actress Sydney Sweeney. The response ads, displayed in Times Square, challenge the competitor's messaging by emphasizing that women's sports have never been "just" sports. Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky defended the initial September campaign—which Sweeney helped develop as an equity investor—citing a spike in app downloads and trading activity to justify releasing a second commercial. Powerade, which previously featured athletes like Flau’Jae Johnson in NCAA Tournament promotions, plans to continue its women's sports investments into 2027 through partnerships with the U.S. Women's National Team and the FIFA Women's World Cup. VP of Brand Marketing Leah Macko: "When the conversation around how women are portrayed in sports started to pick up, we felt it was important for Powerade to share our perspective and reinforce what’s always been at the heart of our brand: athletes. We’ve long believed that there’s no ‘just’ about what it takes to compete, especially for women in sports, so we saw this as an opportunity to celebrate the determination, resilience and impact female athletes bring to their sport." (link)

Meanwhile, Novig has launched a second commercial featuring Sydney Sweeney. Despite the controversy, CEO Jacob Fortinsky cited a 361.8% surge in first-time depositors, a 260.9% increase in app downloads, and a tripling of trading volume since the September debut as evidence of campaign success. The latest 30-second ad, titled "No BS," continues the provocative visual theme while highlighting differences between Novig's sports-focused platform and general prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. Fortinsky on addressing the athletic community's criticism: "We have enormous respect for female athletes and the continued growth of women’s sports. We’re focused exclusively on sports. Sydney’s not a female athlete and was not claiming to be one." Senior VP of Growth Nikhil Panu on targeted ad placements moving forward: "Going forward, we want to continue to show up around contextually relevant sports placements and in front of sports fans." (link)

Washington Commanders Head of Strategy and Analytics Reece Fisher outlined the franchise's ongoing efforts to rebuild its data infrastructure and adapt the season ticket member experience. With a new stadium on the horizon, the front office is shifting away from static ticketing models to offer personalized packages that accommodate changing consumer habits and varying attendance preferences. Fisher: "We are in an evolving time where there is just so much competing for not just disposable income, but disposable time. How do we put the right plan into the right people's hands? ... We're still trying to get away from the static experience to a more dynamic, custom, personalized experience. And now with all the data and technology at our fingertips, we finally have the ability to implement that. ... Just an exciting time for our franchise with the new stadium on the horizon and we're really trying to understand which of these current Commanders fans would be coming with us when we move into the district." (link)

All England Lawn Tennis Club Finance Director and Acting CEO Richard Atkinson spoke at Leaders Week London about the evolution of premium hospitality at Wimbledon, noting a decisive shift away from rigid formality toward varied, personalized experiences. During a panel alongside Charlie Buck, CEO of Wimbledon hospitality partner Lyvera, Atkinson explained how the tournament segments its offerings into four categories, including the prestige-driven Royal Box and a debenture program generating $300M over five years. While corporate buyers historically dominated the space, individual high-net-worth consumers now account for approximately 35% of hospitality sales, driving the creation of relaxed environments like The Treehouse. Addressing the tournament's proposed 39-court expansion, Atkinson remarked: "Temporary facilities have gotten better, but you’re still operating out of a field kitchen. Some of the top of new American sports stadiums that I’ve been to, it’s just mind blowing what those permanent facilities have got in place." (link)

During a trip to Macau for the NBA China Games, Dallas Mavericks governor & Las Vegas Sands CEO Patrick Dumont guided team executives, players, and media through the company’s $16B integrated resort developments—including the renovated 14K-seat Venetian Arena—highlighting the hospitality standards he intends to implement across the Mavericks' planned $20M+ business and training facility upgrades as well as a future $1B+ arena and entertainment district in Dallas. While Texas land remains set aside in Irving for potential future casino legislation, Dumont installed former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as basketball president alongside HC Dusty May, hired CEO Rick Welts, and replaced eight of the franchise's top 11 senior business managers. Beyond organizational restructuring, Dumont played a central role with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum in restoring relationships with Chinese officials following the league's 2019 broadcast fallout, helping secure multi-year exhibition events in the region and tells the Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend: "I think what this shows is there’s an approach, an aesthetic, a desire for hospitality, a desire for top-flight food and beverage. And to create a unique and really high-level fan experience that can be executed really well in Dallas." (link)

The Vegas Golden Knights failed to sell out T-Mobile Arena for the first time in franchise history, ending a 397-game streak with an announced attendance of 15,977, or 92% capacity. Actual crowd size fell below 13K as the organization faces pushback over rising ticket, parking, and concession prices. The franchise also reduced community programs like the Knights' Salute, which previously provided 300 tickets per game to local personnel, eliminated commissions for ticket salespeople, and removed third-party ticket brokers to capture more revenue. While inflation and decreased Canadian tourism contributed to the drop, Sin Bin's Ken Boehlke argues the empty seats reflect a deteriorating relationship between the fanbase and front office: "Unless the organization makes significant, noticeable changes to the way it treats the community that helped build it, those empty seats will become a familiar sight. The Golden Knights don’t control the entire fault pie, or anything close to it, but it’s time they stopped acting like their own slice isn’t sitting right in front of them." (link)

Genius Sports is leveraging real-time game data to target emotional sports fans on behalf of consumer brands. The firm utilizes a tool called the Fan Graph to track 250M American sports fans, allowing advertisers to push highly targeted digital ads on platforms like Instagram based on active game outcomes, and Sportico’s Eben Novy-Williams explains the strategy capitalizes on immediate fan avidity, an approach previously utilized by Fanatics to dominate the apparel market by selling gear immediately following championship wins. With NFL and NBA teams generating $2.7B and $1.8B in sponsorship revenue last season, respectively, advertisers increasingly view live sports as a premium engagement vehicle. Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke shares an example of the tool in action: "One of the major food delivery companies is seeing a 20% uplift in their order prices when [a fan’s] team is losing. We have something called the Fan Graph, which identifies 250M sports fans in America. So we know who the fan is, we know what’s going on in the game, we know if your team is winning or losing, and if you’re losing, we can put an advert in front of you for a food delivery service and we know you’re going to pay 20% more for food because you’re feeling down." (link)

Business of Fashion’s Mike Sykes highlighted a surge in high-quality women's sportswear collections from non-traditional brands like J. Crew, Pacsun, and Tuckernuck. The partnerships—including Pacsun's 15-piece NHL line with The Wild Collective and Tuckernuck's NFL collection with Fanatics—move beyond historical "pink it and shrink it" strategies by prioritizing fashion-forward silhouettes and everyday wearability. Citing a 2024 Sports Innovation Lab and Klarna study, Sykes noted the women's sports merchandise market is valued at $4B, yet 79% of surveyed fans report a noticeable quality gap between men's and women's offerings. Pacsun Chief Merchandising Officer Richard Cox explained the industry's evolving strategy toward female consumers: “The assortment needs to offer the same range of silhouettes, proportions and styling options she expects from the rest of her wardrobe.” (link)

Sprite has launched its "Never Stop Refreshing the Game" global platform, marking the Coca-Cola brand's return as the official soft drink partner of the NBA after a 10-year absence, per Marketing Dive’s Chris Kelly, who notes the multiyear campaign runs through 2027 and features stars Nikola Jokić and Anthony Edwards. Consumers can scan QR codes on limited-edition packaging to unlock VIP tickets, exclusive merchandise, and in-game integrations for NBA 2K, and Kelly points out the rollout mirrors a recent Coca-Cola World Cup strategy that collected more than 25M first-party data points and generated 9B digital views. Global Brand VP Oana Vlad explains how the international campaign merges cultural engagement with targeted consumer tracking: "Basketball is the second most popular sport in the world, but it’s also a community where culture is shaped in music and in fashion, and that’s really consistent with Sprite. ... First-party data collection is important as we can re-engage fans, offer them the experiences that they look for and build more loyal and intimate relationships with consumers." (link)

Speaking of QR codes, consumer willingness to scan QR codes on product packaging does not consistently translate to actual engagement, according to Retail Brew's Jeena Sharma. While a 2025 GS1 US survey found 66% of consumers would scan food packaging for freshness and ingredient information, Scanova's 2026 QR Code Benchmarks report revealed the typical active code earns just 21 scans. The report analyzed 46.9M scans across 8,514 codes from 28 consumer goods brands, noting that just 5.06% of codes generated 94.5% of all volume, with the highest-performing code reaching over 2.7M scans. Brands like Recess and Vacation have utilized codes for ingredient information and curated playlists, but customized designs generate 2.4 times as many scans as standard black-and-white versions. Sharma: "QR codes directing shoppers to purpose-built product pages amounted to 28,914 scans per code, compared to just 4,017 for those sending shoppers to a standard website. ... 'How-to' content also seems to be a winner; QR codes linking to how-to or tutorial videos averaged 19,181 scans, the highest per code rate among the use cases highlighted by Scanova." (link)

Interested in advertising a job opening in CRO.ticker on CollegeSports.jobs? Submit your position here.

(Posted from most recent over the last 15 days)

(NEW!) Annual Fund Coordinator, Ticketing Operations (University of Tennessee / Knoxville, TN): The Annual Fund Coordinator, Ticketing Operations oversees TN Fund donor ticketing, including renewals, relocations, and postseason and away-game allocations, ensuring accuracy and policy compliance. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Director of Athlete Compensation (Clemson University / Clemson, SC): Key member of the Athletics Central Front Office, providing strategic leadership & analytical support in the development, negotiation, and administration of student-athlete compensation strategies. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Donor Events & Stewardship Coordinator (ALUMNI EXTERNAL REL SPEC 3) Job 88834 (University of California – Davis / Davis, CA): Plan and manage ICA special events designed to engage alumni and donors with ICA and the university through recognition, cultivation, stewardship and solicitation opportunities. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Associate Director, Athletics Creative Content Producer (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): Develops and executes creative video content, social media marketing, and recruiting strategies to promote assigned athletic programs and strengthen the Texas Tech Athletics brand. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Strategic Communications Coordinator (Fresno State / Fresno, CA): Reporting to the Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Communications, this position will assist in directing all aspects of strategic communications, sports information, and media relations. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Donor Stewardship and Engagement Specialist (Duke University / Durham, NC): You will help shape the donor experience, elevate engagement opportunities, and create meaningful moments that connect supporters to Duke Athletics' mission and student-athlete success. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Director OR Senior Director of Donor Experiences and Special Events (Virginia Athletics Foundation) (University of Virginia / Charlottesville, VA): Provides strategic and creative leadership for the development, planning, and in-person execution of donor experiences, special events, and premium hospitality for the Virginia Athletics Foundation. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Major Gift Officer, Athletics Development (Villanova University / Villanova, PA): The MGO will solicit prospects, and identify and motivate those who can advance the development function of Villanova Athletics, managing a portfolio of 125 prospects with gift capacity of $100,000+. More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Social Media Marketing Strategy (University of Wisconsin / Madison, WI): Blend creativity and analytics to deliver impactful social media campaigns, strengthen brand storytelling, and expand the reach of Wisconsin Athletics. More details HERE.

Manager, Premium Seating & Parking (University of Oregon / Eugene, OR): This position serves as the primary point of contact for premium seating customers, including suite holders, club seat members, and other premium hospitality clients. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Marketing (Loyola University Chicago / Chicago, IL): Lead marketing and promotional efforts to increase attendance, interest, and revenue for select sports, including Rambler women's basketball, in one of the best big cities in the world. More details HERE.

Director of Fan Experience and Engagement (Murray State University / Murray, KY): Leads and executes fan experience, game atmosphere, game production, and year-round engagement initiatives that strengthen and cultivate lifelong Racer supporters. More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Bronco Productions / Creative Media (Western Michigan University / Kalamazoo, MI): Produces video and digital content for all varsity programs to enhance the Athletics brand, increase fan engagement, and grow revenue. Responsible for both videography and video content editing. More details HERE.

Associate Director, Athletics Integrated Communications (University of Memphis / Memphis, TN): Memphis is seeking an experienced communications professional to serve as Associate Director, Integrated Communications, and as the contact for Memphis' men's soccer and women's basketball programs. More details HERE.

Ticket Sales Associate (Marquette University / Milwaukee, WI): The Ticket Sales Associate is responsible for generating revenue by selling and renewing Marquette University athletic ticket products, including season tickets, partial plans, and group packages. More details HERE.

Graphic Designer - Athletics (University of Alabama at Birmingham / Birmingham, AL): To assist the UAB Department of Athletics in promoting UAB s intercollegiate sports programs. To serve as an in-house content producer creating for social media, streaming and video boards. More details HERE.

Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Development Officer for Athletics - (ATH00000504) (Southern Methodist University – SMU / Dallas, TX): The Deputy Athletic Director serves as the Chief Development Officer for SMU Athletics, providing strategic leadership for all philanthropic efforts supporting Mustang Athletics. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Dallas? Click HERE.

Assistant Director of Development - Athletics (Ohio State University / Columbus, OH): Builds philanthropic support for The Ohio State University and the Department of Athletics by establishing and managing relationships with donors, alumni, friends, volunteers, and/or grateful patients More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Ticket Sales (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): Identify and generate revenue through new and renewal ticket sales, premium seating, parking/tailgates, hospitality, and other revenue-generating initiatives. More details HERE.

Senior Director of Development (Northern Arizona University / Flagstaff, AZ): Northern Arizona University seeks an experienced, engaged, dynamic Senior Director of Development to pursue philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, and corporations for NAU Athletics. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation (La Salle University / Philadelphia, PA): The Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation serves as a senior leader and is responsible for leadership and oversight of revenue generation and external engagement functions. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Philadelphia? Click HERE.

Data Analyst – Athletic Financial Reporting (Texas A&M University / College Station, TX): Provide data support for departmental projects and business processes and perform assigned administrative and financial business functions for Athletics business operations. More details HERE.

Senior Director of Development, Athletics (UConn Foundation / Storrs, CT): As a member of the Husky Athletic Fund, build connections with donors to secure transformational support that advances UConn's athletic programs and elevates the student-athlete experience! More details HERE.

Director of Development Strategy and Analytics (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): The Director of Development Strategy and Analytics drives data-driven innovation and strategic alignment for Athletics fundraising and development. More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Strategic Communications (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Bring Arizona Athletics stories to life through creative content, strategic communications, media relations, and storytelling that elevates our Wildcats. More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Director of Development, Intercollegiate Athletics (Penn State / University Park, PA): Penn State is currently seeking a frontline fundraiser in the role of Assistant/Associate Director of Development to engage alumni and friends More details HERE.

Assistant AD Marketing and Fan Engagement (Oklahoma State University / Stillwater, OK): Lead marketing and fan engagement for OSU Athletics, driving attendance, revenue, fan experience and team leadership while enhancing game-day atmosphere and engagement. More details HERE.

Director of Athletic Administration Operations (University of Connecticut / Storrs Mansfield, CT): The Director of Athletic Administration Operations will provide support for the coordination and execution of day-to-day operations within the Division of Athletics. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director of Communications (University of Southern Mississippi / Hattiesburg, MS): This position serves as the primary communications contact for Southern Miss Men’s Basketball/other assigned sports while providing strategic communications support across the department programs. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Annual Fund (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): This position oversees Mean Green Athletic Fund renewals, and coordinates internal fundraising and promotional campaign activities to enhance donor retention, engagement, and support for Athletics. More details HERE.

Major Gifts Officer (Tiger Athletic Foundation (LSU) / Baton Rouge, LA): TAF is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to cultivate and secure major donors in support of LSU Athletics, managing a territory-based portfolio to secure capital, endowment, and planned gifts. More details HERE.

Associate Director, Promotion & Fan Engagement - W Soccer & Softball (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): Leads marketing, promotions, and game presentation for Texas Tech Women’s Soccer and Softball, creating campaigns and game-day experiences to increase attendance and enhance fan engagement. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director, Championship Resources (University of South Alabama / Mobile, AL): Leads athletics revenue strategy across fundraising, ticketing, corporate partnerships, premium experiences, and events to drive sustainable growth and stakeholder engagement. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Mobile? Click HERE.

Associate Director, Athletics Ticket Operations (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): Plan and develop daily business functions for various departments within the athletic organization. More details HERE.

Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations (Fresno State / Fresno, CA): The Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations leads facilities, events, equipment, assigned sports and Athletics IT support, advancing operational excellence and student-athlete success. More details HERE.

Associate General Counsel (University of Kentucky / Lexington, KY): This Associate General Counsel position advises university leadership on the contracting issues, compliance strategies, regulatory developments and risk management needs. More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Ticket Operations (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Join Arizona Athletics as Assistant Director, Ticket Operations—lead ticketing for assigned sports, drive seamless event-day operations, and elevate the Wildcat fan experience. More details HERE.

Assistant Vice President, Licensing & Trademarks (University of Houston / Houston, TX): Lead the University of Houston System's licensing & trademarks strategy, protecting institutional brands and driving revenue through high-impact partnerships and innovative licensing programs. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics Development/Associate Director of Athletics (Fordham University / New York, NY): The position works closely with colleagues within DAUR and Athletics Departments to maximize philanthropic support and nurture a healthy pipeline for Fordham Athletics. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, RevShare (Montana State University / Bozeman, MT): This position is responsible for developing, implementing, and managing philanthropic and sponsorship-based revenue-sharing initiatives that directly support student-athletes. More details HERE.

Director of Ticket Sales and Outreach (University of Texas – Arlington / Arlington, TX): Leads UTA Athletics ticket sales and operations, drives revenue through outreach and fan engagement, oversees ticketing systems and CRM analysis, and manages student staff and campus/community events. More details HERE.

Director, Communications (West Coast Conference / San Bruno, CA): The position leads media relations, executes communications strategies, generates exposure for the Conference and its membership, and manages written and editorial content across Conference platforms More details HERE.

Financial Analyst I (2 Positions) (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Help drive Arizona Athletics forward through financial insight, analysis, and strategy. Join our team as a Financial Analyst I and help turn data into informed decisions. More details HERE.

Director of Development, Major Giving/Associate Athletics Director (Ohio University / Athens, OH): Serves as a major gifts officer for Intercollegiate Athletics at Ohio University, working within University Advancement to build and manage a robust portfolio of prospective major donors. More details HERE.

Vice President and Director of Athletics (Rice University / Houston, TX): Rice seeks a strategic athletics leader to drive championship success, strengthen student-athlete experiences, grow revenue, elevate Rice nationally, and navigate college athletics’ evolving landscape. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Houston? Click HERE. The D1.dossier for this position can be found HERE.

Associate Communications Director (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): Serve as primary media contact for 2026 Big 12 Champion Kansas Baseball, secondary contact for Kansas Football, and oversee Rowing communications, including media relations, digital & social content. More details HERE.

Senior Vice President - Men's Basketball (Atlantic Coast Conference / Charlotte, NC): Serve as a senior member of the ACC's leadership team, providing strategic direction and oversight of all men's basketball programming, championships, and conference initiatives. More details HERE What would it cost to move to Charlotte? Click HERE.

Assistant Director of Strategic Communications and Storytelling (Colorado State University / Fort Collins, CO): This position leads storytelling and strategic communications efforts for assigned sports, working with internal and external constituents to heighten the visibility and brand of CSU Athletics. More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director, Revenue Marketing & Business Intelligence (University of Maryland / College Park, MD): Leads data-driven marketing and analytics to grow revenue, attendance, donor engagement, retention, and databases through targeted campaigns, pricing, audience insights, and sales partnerships. More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Athletic Director for Communications (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): UNT Athletics is seeking an experienced, strategic leader to serve as the voice and strategist for Communications, Sports Information, and Media Relations across all Mean Green Athletics. More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director for Communications (University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley / Edinburg, TX): Provides leadership, management, and oversight of all areas of athletic media relations and broadcasting. Brand management, communications and media relations, and special events for the department. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Business Operations, Department of Athletics (R0009158) (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): The Assistant Athletic Director, Business Operations, is responsible for a broad range of accounting and business operations functions within the Department of Athletics’ Business Office. More details HERE.

Director of Fan Experience (Virginia Commonwealth University / Richmond, VA): The Director of Fan Experience works with all facets of gameday and non-gameday fan event planning. The Director's efforts will support all ticketed VCU Division I intercollegiate athletic programs. More details HERE.

Sr. Associate AD / Business Operations (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): Manage fiscal activities to include team/support budgeting, financial planning and analysis, procurement, financial reporting, affiliated organization support, and overall workflow management. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Blacksburg? Click HERE.