Chris Plonsky
CHRIS PLONSKY 2001- 2023
07.04.2016
Chris Plonsky is the NACDA President for 2016-17.
“It is an honor to serve NACDA, its membership and Executive Committee,” Plonsky said. “We are enjoying record levels of diversity, engagement, and participation in all NACDA organizations. This period is a critical time in collegiate athletics.
NACDA members work every day to enrich and enhance every student’s collegiate educational experiences, personal leadership development opportunities, and competitive aspirations.
NACDA, now in its 52nd year, is the professional and educational association for more than 12,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. More than 6,500 athletics administrators annually attend NACDA & Affiliates Convention Week. Additionally, NACDA manages 17 professional associations and three foundations.
We are especially pleased to continue collaboration with the NCAA staff, members of the Division 1A AD Association, NACWAA, and the 17 affiliate associations under the NACDA umbrella.”
Plonsky served on NACDA’s Executive Committee from 2002-04 and again in 2014. She also was the 1st Vice President during the 2015-16 term. Her past NCAA committee work includes service on the NCAA Committee on Academic Performance (CAP), the NCAA President’s Task Force on Commercialization, and five years with the Division I Management Council (chair from January 2003-April 2004). Plonsky also is a former board member and president of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) and was a 2003 NACMA Hall of Fame inductee.
Plonsky has served as UT’s third women’s athletics director since spring 2001. In this time, Longhorn women’s sports programs have recorded three NCAA Championships (2005 outdoor track and field, 2006 indoor track and field, and 2012 volleyball) and a league-best 54 Big 12 Conference championships across ten different sports. This total includes five league titles during the recently completed 2015-16 season (volleyball, indoor track and field, swimming, rowing, and outdoor track and field). The Longhorns’ 11-sport women’s program provides competitive and educational opportunities for more than 190 women student-athletes, including walk-ons.
Plonsky has worked with staff and vendors responsible for television, corporate sponsorship, communication, brand stewardship, and revenue generation to support Texas men’s and women’s athletics since 1993. She is the contract liaison with Texas Athletics’ multimedia rights and sponsorship sales agent IMG College. IMG College’s sponsorship sales for Texas Athletics and the Frank Erwin Center rank among the highest in the nation and feature digital media, consumer and retail promotions, radio, internet, and video.
In August of 2016, The University of Texas, IMG College, and world-wide sports leader ESPN will begin year six of collaboration on Longhorn network, a linear tv channel dedicated to Texas athletics and academic programming. LHN produces more than 170 live events annually. Rights fees from LHN are distributed to both Texas Athletics and University President Gregory L. Fenves for use in establishing academic chairs and programs.
Plonsky also supervises UT’s trademark and licensing staff. In 2015, UT and Learfield Licensing Partners collaborated on a new licensing model, including sideline partner Nike and master licensee 289C/Dallas Cowboys Merchandising. Texas has been among the national leaders in the trademark royalty generation since 2005.
Chris is doing a great job of marketing great athletes the media underappreciates. “Media marginalizes greatness because they don’t think many people are watching” women’s sports.
Journalists who choose the popular story instead of digging deep for a better one are missing the essence of women’s sports. “Inform and enlighten will always capture a bigger audience than replay and reflection. The media needs to build a fascinating human story of talented women in athletics, not just report the game results.
