LVSportsBiz News: New UNLV AD Introduced; Aces Hire VP of Brand Marketing; LVCVA Approve $40 Million For Super Bowl In 2024; Plus More Biz Briefs
The LVSportsBiz.com Daily File
UNLV’s new athletic director was introduced to the media Wednesday.
UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield introduced Erick Harper as UNLV’s 14th full-time Director at the Thomas & Mack Center’s Board Room.
Harper, 53, is no outsider. Harper served as UNLV’s interim AD since August after Desiree Reed-Francois took the Missouri athletic director’s job and he took over the full-time role Jan. 1. He met with the media for the first time today.
“We spent the last four months working diligently to identify the next leader of UNLV Athletics,” Whitfield said. “Our goal was to have the search completed by the first of the year, because we knew the landscape of college athletics continues to evolve. And we have lots of work to do to ensure we’re strategically positioned to be competitive. I will say that we went through a national search process with a very, very open mind. We were curious what people outside the market knew about UNLV and who would be interested in leading Rebel Athletics.”
We had people from all over the country apply for our job, including individuals from Power Five conferences But at the end of the day, we went with somebody very familiar with UNLV. And very familiar with Las Vegas. Many of you know Erick Harper. He’s been with UNLV Athletics in various roles for nearly a decade and in college athletics for more than 30 years. — UNLV President Keith Whitfield
“I started this journey becoming an athletic director in 1990 as an intern at Kansas State University,” Harper said. “I’m a servant leader that is humble, caring and committed to excellence. As a department, we will serve our student-athletes and coaches in the best possible way. As Simon Sinek says, ‘True leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about those in your charge.’ “
New Las Vegas Aces business hire: The Las Vegas Aces have hired Deandra Duggans as vice president of brand marketing.
“Deandra has a proven track record for brand innovation and leadership,” Aces team president Nikki Fargas said. “We believe her impact will resonate not only within our organization, but with our fanbase and our community.”
Duggans said in the media statement: “I’m excited to join the Aces and the WNBA. The organization has done an amazing job establishing itself in a new market and cultivating a passionate fan base. I look forward to being a part of Nikki and Mark’s vision of growing the Aces brand in the Vegas community.”
Duggans comes to the Aces after working in advertising and branding for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens for six years, including the last two as the department’s director. With the Ravens, she was responsible for brand strategy and planning, graphics and brand management, media planning & placement and integrated marketing planning.
She also served as an adjunct professor in the Georgetown School of Continuing Studies Sports Industry Management program, and at Mount St. Mary’s over the past two years.
Prior to joining the Ravens, Duggans was a marketing manager with Events DC in Washington. Events DC is the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia.
She got her professional start in athletics working as an electronic media specialist with the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, which includes the 3.9 million square foot convention center, the 71,250-seat former Georgia Dome and 21-acre Centennial Olympic Park.
Duggans later worked as a marketing director for SME—a leading strategic brand-building consultancy serving the sports entertainment, consumer products, education and non-profit and business categories—and as a marketing communications specialist for Billy Casper golf—owner and operators of more than 140 golf facilities in 28 states.
Duggans was born and raised in Washington, DC and graduated from NC State (B.S., 2006) and Georgia State (M.S., 2009) where she serves on the Sport Management Advisory Board and was named an honoree of GSU’s Alumni Association “40 Under 40” (Class of 2020).
Las Vegas Raiders fullback Alec Ingold joined players across the NFL to provide much needed items to youth and families this winter.
Ingold’s support will jumpstart an entire school for their second semester. Through the Raiders Foundation and national nonprofit Beyond the Basics Inc., Ingold donated classroom supplies, books, clothing, toys, games, diapers and wipes for the students and teachers at Head Start program,
Strong Start Academy at Lorenzi in Las Vegas. In addition, to show his appreciation for their hard work and dedication, Ingold provided a catered lunch to the teachers and support staff.
The LVCVA public tourism agency has approved $40 million in public dollars to help stage Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas in 2024. The Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee will also raise $20 million for a total of $60 million that the community will spend on hosting the NFL’s premier game.
On Friday, Circa and CEO Derek Stevens will award $11 million total to the winners of the 2021-2022 professional football contests Circa Million III and Circa Survivor. With Circa Survivor being the world’s largest legal survivor football contest, the record-breaking check payouts will include $7 million in winnings and $4 million for Circa Million III, respectively.
During the event at the D Las Vegas, Stevens and his Circa Sports team will present the winning checks, which include:
- Five seven-figure prizes to the winners of Circa Survivor – three at $1,533,333.35 and two at $1,200,000.00
- Full season Circa Million III prizes, including a $1 million payout for first place
- A six-figure payout for the winner of Q4 for Circa Million III
- A $100,000 booby prize for Circa Million III Full Season
