.png&width=48&height=48&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Deputy A.D. for External Relations and Business Development
- E-mail:
- Phone:
- 662-915-8803
- Alma Mater:
- Ole Miss (2001)
Michael Thompson, Jr., joined the Ole Miss athletics department in August 2010 and was named Deputy Athletics Directors for External Relations and Business Development in February 2018. He also serves as the sport administrator for football.
A Memphis native, Thompson previously held the title of Senior Associate A.D. for Communications and Marketing and oversees the Rebels' communications, marketing, fan experience, information technology, productions, analytics, official team store, multimedia rights, e-commerce, athletics licensing and the ticket office.
Always looking for new and better pieces of technology to incorporate into Ole Miss Athletics, Thompson instituted the first-ever rewards platform that uses proximity-based Beacons, allowing easier check-in for fans using Rebel Rewards, and better analytics for Ole Miss staff. He also led the selection process for stadium WiFi partner C Spire. The WiFi network at football games has over 700 access points strategically located throughout Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and allows Ole Miss fans WiFi connectivity with their mobile devices during games. Most recently, Thompson led team that won the 2019 Technology Innovation award - given by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and CDW-G for best practices in technology innovation by NACDA member institutions.
In 2018, Thompson secured an agreement with ESPN to air each episode of The Season: Ole Miss Football on the ESPN platform - the first-ever agreement to air a school-produced episodic show on the ESPN platform.
In 2013, Thompson was selected to represent Ole Miss on the Southeastern Conference's Fan Experience working group, and was later asked to lead research for the group, a role he continues to perform for the SEC today. Thompson also worked on a unique partnership with IMG College, America's leading collegiate multimedia, marketing and licensing/brand management company, for the Rebels' multimedia rights.
In addition to currently serving as Vice President for the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) and the SEC Network point of contact at Ole Miss, Thompson is an adjunct professor in integrated marketing communications at Ole Miss, and has taught a course during the fall and spring semesters since the fall of 2012.
In regards to department-wide communication, Thompson led the creation and development of external teams throughout the entire athletics department, providing a unique way to serve each athletic team and its respective coaches. Through the external teams, representatives from several key areas team up to grow the fan bases of each Ole Miss Rebel team while providing the best gameday atmosphere possible for these teams and fans. Similarly, Thompson led the athletics department through internal communications changes by deploying Basecamp, an internal communication tool used throughout the department and established a new brand standards guide at Ole Miss which is still used and incorporated today.
A 2001 graduate of Ole Miss in marketing, Thompson spent the first 10 years of his career gaining a wide range of experience in branding, marketing and sponsorship. After graduating, he worked for The GEM Group, a global sports marketing agency headquartered in Atlanta. While at GEM, he helped companies such as Domino's Pizza, United Parcel Service, and General Motors Racing activate their sponsorship dollars.
Upon leaving Atlanta in 2004, he created BottleRocket, a sports and entertainment marketing division of Thompson Marketing Communications in Memphis. With a proprietary valuation model, BottleRocket helped clients understand and maximize the value of their sponsorship dollars. The firm also created unique corporate hospitality experiences for thousands of guests at sporting events all over the country.
In 2007, he was promoted to president of Thompson Marketing Communications, which employed 45 marketing, advertising, public relations and design professionals in Memphis and Nashville. As president, Thompson served as a communication strategist for all of the company's six divisions, as well as served as account supervisor on one of the company's most active accounts.
He and his wife, Leslie Ann, have three children - McLean, Adams and Camille.
| WHAT THEY'RE SAYING... |
-- Eric Nichols, Senior Associate AD for Marketing & Branding, South Carolina
“Michael is one of the top external administrators in college athletics. His ability to combine innovation and creativity while relying on a foundation of analytics is unparalleled. Beyond his external expertise, Michael has provided tremendous leadership at Ole Miss. He is an established star in college athletics and one of the first calls for advice when solving a complex issue.”
-- Craig Pintens, Athletics Director, Loyola Marymount
"I have known and enjoyed working with Michael for many years, both before and after being named Commissioner of the SEC. Michael has been a leader in our continuing effort as a league to improve the fan experience at SEC athletic contests - particularly in the sport of football - to which he has presented findings and recommendations personally to the 14 SEC Athletic Directors. Michael also played a key role on the SEC’s Image Enhancement Committee, which I identified as a priority early in my tenure as SEC Commissioner. This committee engaged on the development of an image enhancement plan, which ultimately led to the SEC’s current and highly successful “It Just Means More” campaign. Michael is an asset to both the SEC and the University of Mississippi, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to grow the Southeastern Conference in a variety of areas."
-- Greg Sankey, Commissioner, Southeastern Conference
"I’ve worked with Michael for a decade on a variety of stories that touch the business of college sports. He is responsive, thoughtful and, most of all, a leader among his peers, especially when it comes to leveraging technology. Whenever I have a question about data analytics and all of the ways in which analytics benefit the athletic department, Michael is one of my first calls because I know he’ll have the pulse of the industry and he’ll be on the cutting edge of the latest trends. I know I’m not the only one; many of his peers tap into Michael’s expertise as well."
-- Michael Smith, Staff Writer, Sports Business Journal
"Michael is one of the best strategic thinkers in the business. He has the unique ability express a vision to execute upon desired stretch goals to achieve results. He’s someone that you can always lean on and use as a resource and he’s always willing to offer a helping hand."
-- Ayo Taylor-Dixon, Senior Associate AD for External Operations, Georgia Tech
"Michael is one of the most strategic thinkers in our industry. He has a special ability to break down complex problems into manageable solutions while keeping the team focused on the bigger picture. He’s a critical member of the NACMA leadership team and a key driver behind the industry’s focus on brand management, fan development, and revenue generation – all with the intention of improving the experience for fans across the country. Michael is an accomplished leader and his extensive work in research provides a blueprint for success for Ole Miss and many other institutions."
-- Brad Wurthman, Senior Associate AD for External Operations, Virginia Tech
