May 11, 2009

1.) Name: Eric Nichols

2.) Current Position & Employer

Director of Marketing, University of South Carolina

3.) # Years in current position

One year, 5 years as Director of Marketing at Vanderbilt University

4.) Why/when did you decide to pursue a career in college athletics?

There really was never another thought. Someone early in my life said to try your best to create a career doing what you enjoy.

5.) Who do you consider to be your role model in this industry?

Wow, there are so many. I have been fortunate enough to learn from a variety of personalities with a wide array of skill sets, but if I had to pick one it would be Brad Bates, Athletics Director for the Miami Redhawks.

6.) What are your career aspirations?

Director of Athletics

7.) How important do you feel your involvement is with NACMA in terms of continuing to grow your career?

Well, I think it is two-fold. Being involved in NACMA allows me to develop stronger relationships in this business that can certainly lead to career growth. This business is very tight-knit. Secondly, with the speed at which our world is changing, there has never been a time where it is more important to stay on the cutting edge. If someone were to sit idly by and not try to improve themselves they will get lapped. NACMA provides all the necessary resources to stay up to date with the industry.

8.) What is your favorite memory from your job, or project you are most proud of?

So far, I am most proud of what our team was able to accomplish at Vanderbilt. Beginning in 1998, things were very dismal. Very low interest, low season ticket numbers, and poor performing teams. When I left, Vanderbilt was sold out in baseball season tickets, men’s basketball season tickets, ranked 17th in women’s basketball average attendance, and began to get sellouts in football which is very difficult at VU.

9.) Were you ever involved in a marketing “blunder”? If so, please explain!

Oh Geez. I still want to hide my face on this one. Not so much as a blunder but just a bad product. We had a promotion at Vanderbilt with Kix Brooks from the country group Brooks & Dunn. We went in to shoot the TV spot, and he had not seen the script somehow. Therefore he/we began making changes on the set … which always leads to a disaster. The spot was horrible, but due to his tour schedule we could not shoot it again. So we had to run this awful spot, that really made Kix Brooks look bad. I was so embarrassed to see him at the game!

10.) Who has been your favorite coach to work with? (either present or past job):

Well, I will take the politically correct answer and give you one from Vandy and one from South Carolina. Vanderbilt head football coach Bobby Johnson was phenomenal. As for South Carolina they have all been very accommodating and easy to work with, but I would say baseball head coach Ray Tanner stands out.

11.) What do you feel is the most important quality for those early in the profession to posses?

Patience and work ethic. This business is a lot like waiting tables, there is a direct correlation between your satisfaction/success to the amount of work you put into it.

12.) What advice would you give to those who are looking to venture into the field of collegiate athletics marketing?

Start now. Not tomorrow, but now. You have to have experience. Not necessarily applicable experience, but I have to be able to call a colleague and know a little about you. Perhaps you are stuffing letters all day, I am not hiring you to stuff letters, but there will be someone there watching you who can evaluate you in our setting – which is very unique. The other piece of advice is to be a sponge and read everything you can get your hands on.

13.) In your opinion, where is collegiate athletics marketing headed in the future?

I think we are seeing a merging of Marketing and Media Relations. As we possess more and more power and ability to tell our story ourselves, the media, while still important, become a little less important.

14.) What is the best advice anyone have ever given you?

Easy, hands down it came from Todd Turner – former AD at Vanderbilt. I was getting frustrated in my career path and wanting to advance. At the time I was the Director of Online Services. Todd’s advice was “be the best at what you do, that’s the best way to advance.” I thought that was horrible advice at the time, but that was exactly the right thing to do and that mindset has worked well for me so far.

15.) Who are the people who have influenced you the most?

Eric Hyman – AD at South Carolina Marcy Girton – Associate AD at South Carolina Brad Bates – AD at Miami Todd Turner – Former AD at Vanderbilt David Williams – Vice Chancellor for Athletics at Vanderbilt Rod Williamson – Associate AD at Vanderbilt