The Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon is pleased to announce the selection of David Higdon as chair of the James H. Warsaw Sports Marketing Center's Industry Advisory Board.
Higdon, who has served since 2010 as the Warsaw Center's executive-in-residence, will serve in the role through the 2017-18 academic year, enabling him to assist new director Whitney Wagoner as the center sets a revitalized strategic path and strives to enhance its already deep industry integration.
"David's roots at the University of Oregon run deep, starting as a child when he watched his father Hal compete at Hayward Field and also wear the initial models of Nike running shoes born out of Eugene," said Wagoner. "He brings a wide range of experience, initially as a journalist who covered the NFL, NBA and MLB to recent roles as an international sports executive who has worked in professional tennis, golf, and now NASCAR. His input over the years has been extremely valuable, and I welcome his partnership as we jointly revitalize our industry board."
Higdon works as vice president of integrated marketing communications for NASCAR. Since joining NASCAR in June 2011, Higdon has been responsible for developing and implementing its integrated marketing communications strategy and providing day-to-day leadership for the team. In March, the NASCAR integrated marketing communications team was named the 2015 PR Week In-House PR Team of the Year.
Higdon has held leadership positions with the ATP World Tour (men's professional tennis), LPGA Tour (women's pro golf), and the Champ Car World Series (previously known as CART), which merged with IndyCar Racing in 2008. Prior to transitioning into executive roles within the sports industry, he covered sports for a variety of outlets, including The New York Times, InStyle Magazine, ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated for Kids. He also was editor-in-chief for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers' fan magazine Rip City.
"The objectives are clear: Help Whitney and assistant dean John Hull build a board infused with sports industry experts who have a passion for the University of Oregon and reflect the Warsaw Center's unique international, national, and regional sports footprint," said Higdon.
The Warsaw Center celebrates an illustrious history and an auspicious future as the 2015-16 academic year is now well underway. Founded in 1993, the James H. Warsaw Sports Marketing Center was the first program of its kind housed within a U.S. college of business. Uniting alumni, practitioners, and faculty members across multiple disciplines, the Warsaw Center provides a platform for both research and education focused on the $500 billion dollar sports business industry. The most recent Sports Business International global rankings of sports master's programs published on June 15, 2015 placed the Oregon MBA's sports business track (coordinated by the Warsaw Center) among the top three programs in the world in the categories of Graduate's Choice as well as Student Satisfaction.