Associate Vice President of Athletics Live Events

Job Description

USF Athletics is seeking a visionary and operationally excellent Associate Vice President, Live Events to lead the strategy, execution, and evolution of all live event entertainment and game presentation across the department. This role is responsible for delivering best-in-class, fan-first experiences at every USF Athletics event, with a primary emphasis on football as the department’s largest and most visible platform.

The AVP, Live Events will oversee the team responsible for in-game entertainment, music, promotions, on-field/arena activations, and overall show flow, ensuring every event reflects the USF Athletics brand while creating memorable, high-energy experiences that drive attendance, engagement, and school pride.

Core competencies include visionary leadership, creative direction, operational discipline, and exceptional attention to detail. Adept at leading teams under pressure in dynamic, live-event environments, with strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across departments. Driven by a deep passion for fan experience, storytelling, and live entertainment. The role operates within a fast‑paced, high‑energy athletics environment with significant evening, weekend, and holiday commitments, including all home football games and major athletic events. Success in this position requires a steadfast commitment to the mission, values, and brand of USF Athletics.

Responsibilities

Live Event Strategy & Vision
· Set and lead the overarching vision for live event entertainment and game presentation across all USF Athletics sports.
· Establish a differentiated, cohesive in‑venue experience that aligns with USF Athletics’ brand, values, and fan engagement goals.
· Partner with marketing, development, and external partners to ideate and execute innovative experiential concepts that enhance brand storytelling, fan participation, and revenue opportunities.
· Develop multi‑year plans to elevate game presentation, with a heavy focus on football and marquee events.

Football Game Presentation Leadership
· Own the strategic direction and execution of football game‑day entertainment, including pregame, in‑game, halftime, and postgame elements.
· Own the strategy, planning, and execution of pregame football festivals, fan zones, and outside plaza activations, delivering high‑energy, family‑friendly experiences that drive early arrival, engagement, and school spirit.· Ensure football game presentation evolves annually to meet fan expectations and competitive benchmarks.
 

Game Presentation Operations
· Oversee all aspects of in‑game entertainment including audio, lighting, music, scripting, timing, and show flow.
· Oversee and enhance the full guest experience beyond the venue footprint, including outside plaza and pre‑entry areas, ensuring seamless activation, entertainment, branding, and fan engagement from arrival through departure.
· Lead the development and execution of run‑of‑show documents for all events.
· Ensure seamless coordination between production, marketing, promotions, creative, and event operations teams.
· Collaborate closely with facilities, security, event operations, and venue partners to ensure safe, seamless, and engaging live event experiences across all touchpoints, from pre‑entry through post‑event egress.
· Oversee all in‑game sponsor activations and experiential marketing elements, ensuring seamless integration into the live event flow while delivering measurable value to corporate partners and maintaining a fan‑first experience.

Team Leadership & Development
· Lead, mentor, and develop a multi‑disciplinary game presentation team, including full‑time staff, students, part‑time staff, and game‑day contractors.
· Establish clear roles, expectations, and performance standards across all live events.
· Foster a culture of creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Fan Engagement & In‑Game Entertainment
· Oversee in‑game promotions, fan contests, theme nights, traditions, and interactive elements.
· Ensure entertainment elements are inclusive, engaging, and tailored to diverse fan segments.
· Partner with marketing and ticket sales to align live event elements with promotional and revenue‑driving initiatives.

Budget, Vendors & Partnerships
· Manage live events and game presentation budgets, ensuring fiscal responsibility and strategic investment.
· Oversee relationships with production vendors, entertainers, technology partners, and freelancers.
· Evaluate and implement new technologies and enhancements to improve in‑venue production quality and fan experience.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Alignment
· Serve as the primary liaison for live event presentation with internal stakeholders, conference partners, broadcast partners, and venue operators.
· Ensure alignment between in‑venue experience and broadcast considerations when applicable.
· Partner closely with creative services, digital, communications, and development to extend the live event experience beyond the venue.

Measurement & Continuous Improvement
· Establish metrics to evaluate fan engagement, satisfaction, and live event effectiveness.
· Use feedback, data, and benchmarking to refine and elevate the fan experience year over year.

Qualifications

Requires a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Minimum of 12 years of related exempt level experience, including 7 years of management experience, typically in large, complex institutions. Requires broad practical and substantive expertise across multiple related disciplines.

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred qualifications include experience overseeing game presentation at the Power Five/FBS level or within professional sports, along with strong familiarity with in‑venue technology, video production systems, and current live‑entertainment trends. Candidates should also bring demonstrated experience managing significant budgets and vendor relationships, as well as a solid understanding of broadcast integration and venue operations.