LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The Mandalay Bay Convention Center served as the hub for college athletics marketing and external leaders from June 7-10 for the 2026 National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) Convention.
 
The four-day event featured educational programming, networking opportunities, and professional development sessions designed to help marketers navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of collegiate athletics while strengthening their skills as leaders, innovators, and revenue generators.
 
"As the collegiate athletics landscape continues to evolve, the 2026 NACMA Convention demonstrated the critical role that marketers play in shaping the future of the industry while providing attendees with actionable strategies to take back to their campuses," said outgoing NACMA President Zach Dayton.
 
The convention officially opened Monday with NACMA's awards presentation and keynote address from Jonny Greco, founder of Shine Entertainment. Greco challenged attendees to think differently about fan engagement, sharing how storytelling can transform the game-day experience, strengthen emotional connections with fans, and create lasting brand affinity.
 
The University of Colorado took home the 2026 Unity Award for its Latin and Hispanic Heritage Celebration, creating a genuine cultural celebration and introducing brand new elements to the Colorado Football gameday experience.
 
Vanderbilt University, DePaul University, and Grand Valley State University earned Marketing Team of the Year honors following standout years in Group I, II, and III, respectively.
 
As a part of opening ceremonies, Trip Durham was inducted into the 2026 NACMA Hall of Fame. Durham, a NACMA past president, was recognized for his exceptional work as a leader, mentor, storyteller and visionary over a 30 year career in sports marketing. 
 
Monday's programming continued with a session featuring Katie Virtue, Owner and Recovering Perfectionist of Virtue Consulting LLC, who presented strategies for achieving sustainable performance and avoiding burnout. Her session provided practical tools for maintaining energy, balance and effectiveness in a profession known for long hours and constant demands.
 
A key theme throughout the convention was NACMA's commitment to investing in the holistic development of its members. Personal and Professional Development panels addressed topics including balancing family and career responsibilities, navigating dynamic workplace personalities, and leadership perspectives from women across college athletics.
 
Tuesday's programming focused on practical strategies and innovative solutions for athletics departments. The morning started with a session on the future of AI and the superpowers it provide, followed by breakout sessions exploring tactics to increase attendance and event show rates, leverage data to drive revenue and fan engagement, create impactful game-day presentations and video board experiences, and utilize community outreach efforts as a catalyst for long-term fan growth.
 
The afternoon featured programming panels centered on some of the industry's most pressing opportunities and challenges. Sessions covered driving incremental revenue in the new era of college athletics, implementing effective influencer marketing strategies in the NIL landscape, maximizing results with limited resources and budgets, and operationalizing student-athlete NIL activations through cross-functional collaboration.
 
Networking remained a cornerstone of the convention experience, highlighted by the Tuesday evening Chief Revenue Officer Social, which brought together revenue leaders from across collegiate athletics to share ideas, build relationships, and discuss emerging trends shaping the future of the industry.
 
The convention concluded Wednesday with forward-looking discussions focused on career advancement and leadership. Attendees received an introduction to the role of executive search firms in college athletics before hearing from a panel of sitting athletics directors who discussed marketing, branding and revenue generation from the executive leadership perspective.
 
The final educational session featured a panel of Chief Revenue Officers from across the country who shared insights into the evolving responsibilities of revenue leadership, innovative approaches to generating new revenue streams and the professional journeys that led them to their current roles.
 
Throughout the week, NACMA members participated in networking events, mentorship opportunities, exhibit hall activities and collaborative discussions that reinforced the association's mission of developing and connecting leaders responsible for driving growth, engagement and innovation in college athletics.
 
The 2026 NACMA Convention was held in conjunction with the NACDA & Affiliates Convention at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
 
About NACMA
NACMA provides the tools, training and network for collegiate sports marketers to successfully generate revenue, manage brands, and develop fans. For more information about NACMA, please visit https://nacda.com/sports/nacma.
 
NACMA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 61st year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 affiliates that fall under its umbrella, please visit https://nacda.com.