College Sports Communicators

In this episode of the Beyond the Scoreboard podcast, host Trip Durham sits down with Jason Yaman, the new Executive Director of CSC as of March 2025. In this in-depth conversation, Yaman shares insights into his career journey, leadership philosophy, and the challenges and opportunities facing athletic communicators and creatives in today’s evolving college athletics landscape. A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Yaman most recently served as associate commissioner for The Southern Conference. He joined SoCon in 2008 as director of media relations and transitioned to marketing and corporate sales in 2017. Prior to that, he held various roles in sports information, marketing, and media relations at NCAA Division I institutions (Maryland, Indiana State, Michigan) and Division II’s Saginaw Valley State. Yaman is the fourth executive director in CSC history. In this episode, he discusses: * 1:44 – Why he pursued a career in athletic communications. * 3:17 – Key career moments and the role of mentorship in his development. * 4:38 – The importance of building strong, authentic relationships and the value athletic communications brings to college athletics. * 7:14 – What motivated him to apply for the CSC role and the momentum he sees in membership growth. * 8:42 – The diversity of CSC’s membership and how the organization can best serve communicators of all types and job scopes. He emphasizes collaboration, revenue-driving communication strategies, and campus-wide value. * 11:38 – Why Batman is his favorite superhero. * 12:12 – His leadership style: consensus-building, listening, and a customer service mindset. * 14:10 – His early priorities, including analysis of CSC’s recent career satisfaction and salary survey. * 15:28 – The ongoing importance of mentorship in his personal and professional life. * 16:58 – His commitment to playing an active role in CSC’s Mentorship Program. * 17:39 – Given the chance to host three people at dinner, he’d invite Billy the Kid, DB Cooper, and Tupac—explaining his picks while noting he’s not a conspiracy theorist. * 19:05 – Strategic planning in today’s turbulent college athletics environment. * 20:43 – The need for adaptability and connection with others who share similar roles. * 22:26 – Major industry challenges, including the House settlement and combating the “churn and burn” culture among communicators. * 25:01 – Misconceptions about the profession. * 26:27 – His favorite social media follows, including the Detroit Lions and Captain Andrew Luck X accounts. * 28:00 – Outside interests: the coast over mountains, working out, and cooking as a creative outlet. * 29:12 – A surreal moment from his grad school days at Michigan, unlocking the football press box at the Big House. * 31:32 – What he misses about campus life: impromptu conversations and “darkening the doorway” of colleagues. Tune in to get to know CSC’s new leader—his values, priorities, and perspective on mentoring, leadership, and the future of the profession. Plus, enjoy some fun insights into his personality, like his superhero pick and fantasy dinner guests.

Game plan for content: Creative strategies for social media and websites outside of competition seasons The panelists discussed strategies and examples of content you can create when the competition stops for a team or for the summer months. They shared how they navigate and prioritize content during the offseason. From storytelling and athlete features to creative social campaigns and planning strategies, setting timelines, etc., the discussion revolved around how to keep your audiences engaged and your program's brand thriving year-round across social media and digital platforms. Panelists - Conner Darnell — University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Creative Services and Athletics Marketing Coordinator - Jessica Radford — Conference USA Associate Director, Strategic Communications - Spencer Rubin — Auburn University Assistant AD/Creative Video Moderator - Briley Lawson — Palm Beach Atlantic University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

In conjunction with Autism Acceptance Month, this podcast features Cadence "Cadie" Pierce and Liz Holbrook — communications professionals who open up about their experiences with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other neurodivergent conditions. Joined by hosts Tony Venegas and Megan O’Brien, they dive into the challenges and strengths that come with being neurodivergent in the fast-paced world of athletic communications. From late diagnoses and navigating misconceptions, to thriving in chaotic environments and redefining communication in the workplace, this conversation offers insight and suggestions on navigating neurodiversity in college sports communications. Whether you're neurodivergent yourself, work in athletics, or want to better understand and support colleagues and student-athletes, this episode offers something meaningful for everyone. Panelists: - Cadence Pierce, Wilmington College Graduate Assistant Director of Athletic Communications - Liz Holbrook, University of Evansville Director of Media Relations - Tony Venegas, Belmont Abbey College Director of Athletics Communications - Megan O’Brien, Monmouth University Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

Guest: Andy DeVito, The Ohio State University Director, Creative Services & Branding Hosted by: Trip Durham, 2D Consulting, LLC A Buckeye through and through, Andy DeVito has dedicated nearly 20 years to Ohio State University’s athletics department, shaping the visual identity of one of the most iconic brands in college sports. As the director of creative services & branding, Andy has played a major role in the massive transformations in the digital landscape of college athletics. In this episode, we dive into Andy’s journey from a wide-eyed freshman in 2001 to a key creative force behind the Buckeyes' national championship campaigns. As he discusses the evolving role of digital media, DeVito shares insights on how to build an elite creative team, designing championship logos, fostering collaboration across departments, and how Ohio State stays ahead in branding, recruiting, and fan engagement.   This conversation with host Trip Durham includes DeVito’s thoughts on: * The evolution of college athletics branding and digital creative strategy   * Steps on what to look for in hiring, developing and leading top to create a high-performance creative team   * How branding and storytelling at OSU impact a program’s success and fan engagement * Behind the scenes of OSU’s College Football Playoffs’ National Championship run, as DeVito discusses the strategy and execution of content creation for the Buckeyes  * DeVito’s approach to navigating transitions in athletic administration when leadership changes * Why collaboration and working closely with licensing, marketing, and communications is critical in college athletics * What’s next for branding, content, and digital strategy in college sports. Join us to hear more on the power of storytelling, the future of branding in college athletics, and—just for fun— learning more about DeVito with his take on 90s basketball icons and his favorite Friends character.

How to Collaborate Within Your Department, Across Campus & With Conference Colleagues This on-demand webinar is geared towards assisting new athletic communications and creative professionals (those in years 1-3 of their professional careers), those who are emerging/aspiring professionals (graduate students, graduate interns, undergraduate students) and those who are interested in college sports communications/creative work.  Collaboration isn't just a means of working towards a common goal. It's also an excellent way to encourage innovation and creativity. In this webinar presented by CSC U, we discuss the vital importance of working collaboratively with others in your department, in your conference and on your campus, regardless of your level of experience or leadership. The presenters gave insights on the how’s and why’s to work closely with, and communicate often with, those in senior leadership, marketing, event management, facilities, campus communications, conference colleagues, etc. and how to begin and then strengthen those relationships.   Discussion also centered around departments who do not have a creative/digital person on staff and how to collaborate with others on campus to help provide resources and personnel; and how, with so many moving parts, can you help make events run smoothly. The panelists also talked about the importance of developing self-confidence in a profession where you have multiple responsibilities and how to handle and be open to criticism and hard conversations when they arise. Panelists - Rebecca Ensing - California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Assistant Director of Operations - Bryce Johnson - Guilford College Director of Athletic Communications - Christopher Mora - USC Assistant Director of Graphic Design Moderator - Desean Bullock - University of South Carolina Upstate Director of Athletic Communications