COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Michael Thompson Jr. has been named Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations and Business Development, Texas A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork announced Wednesday. Widely recognized for his innovative practices in business development and revenue advancement, Thompson comes to Texas A&M following a nine-year tenure at Ole Miss where he most recently served in a similar role alongside Bjork since 2018.
“Michael has developed a trend-setting portfolio of work during his time in the private sector and at Ole Miss and is viewed as one of the very best thought leaders in college athletics,” said Bjork. “His open mind and creativity to explore new external relations strategies led to record-breaking engagement in Oxford and I am thrilled that we could recruit him to join our leadership team here at Texas A&M. We already have tremendous content and fan engagement platforms in place and with Michael’s vision, we can go from very good to great. We are extremely excited to welcome Michael and his family to Aggieland!”
As Deputy Athletic Director, Thompson will provide oversight and leadership of Texas A&M Athletics interests through unified efforts designed to maximize revenue potential, expand the brand both nationally and globally and further enhance opportunities for engagement. Additionally, Thompson will lead collaborative initiatives with multiple entities regarding external communications and marketing, ticketing, licensing and merchandising, information technology and multi-media rights.
“It’s hard to put into words how honored I am to be selected for this role. Throughout my career in sports, I have been in awe of the Aggie culture, traditions and brand, and now I’m humbled to become a part of Texas A&M and join Ross’ team as he charts a new course,” noted Thompson.
In the private sector, Thompson acquired a vast and diverse resume of experience in branding, marketing and sponsorship before transitioning to intercollegiate athletics in 2010. Recognized by his peers in higher education, Thompson’s team at Ole Miss was honored with the 2019 Technology Innovation award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and technology solutions provider CDW-G for best practices in technology innovation by NACDA member institutions.
Thompson’s contributions to the greater athletic community include representation on the Southeastern Conference’s Fan Experience working group and leadership of the group’s research efforts. He currently serves as vice president for the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) and was the SEC Network point of contact at Ole Miss. In addition, Thompson has served as an adjunct professor in integrated marketing communications at Ole Miss for the past seven years.
A 2001 marketing graduate of Ole Miss, Thompson and his wife, Leslie Ann, have three children – McLean, Adams and Camille.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athlticse