Brad Ledford, who brings over 21 years of collegiate athletics experience, has been named by Kennesaw State Director of Athletics Milton Overton as the KSU Deputy Athletic Director, effective June 13. He will lead Kennesaw State's external units within the Department of Athletics to include marketing, communications, fan engagement, revenue generation, sponsorships, ticket operations, video production, creative services, licensing, and athletics development in coordination with the University Advancement Office. In addition, he will serve as a program administrator for baseball and men's and women's golf.
Ledford has most recently served as the Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Marketing at the University of Alabama since 2015. Prior to that promotion, he was the Crimson Tide's Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Marketing from December 2011 through May 2015.
"Brad's professional and family values align perfectly with KSU Athletics' strategic priorities and mission to 'Build Champions in Life'," said Overton. "His success has included the development and implementation of strategic plans for marketing, promotions, branding, and ticket sales. During his tenure, Alabama has brought in over $100 million in royalties. Brad has led quality customer experiences for an excess of one million fans to approximately 150 live events each season and directly impacted almost $70 million in annual revenue generation.
"He has directed innovative sales strategies that produced all-time high average home attendance records and numerous sellouts for several sports while also continuing to lead NCAA Division I softball in season attendance average over the past several years. This year alone, men's basketball and softball set all-time highs in season tickets sold. He also assisted in the planning and opening of the new Sewell-Thomas stadium, home of Alabama baseball."
Ledford has managed the staffs, budgets, and revenue expectations for Alabama marketing and promotions, trademark licensing, outbound ticket sales, and spirit groups. His work administering the efforts of the Trademark Licensing Department and serving as a liaison to Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) has generated over $90 million since his first year at Alabama.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Milton Overton, Tamica Smith Jones, and Kennesaw State staff and coaches in serving our student-athletes, campus community, fans, and alumni," said Ledford. "During my first conversation with Milton, the growth and excitement surrounding athletics was apparent and was reinforced while visiting campus. Being able to build upon the tradition of success already established at KSU means a lot to me. My family and I are thrilled to join the Owl Nation and eager to get started."
Ledford has extended his leadership as the sport administrator for track and field and cross country, and as the department's Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) liaison to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to ensure communication of marketing needs from and to the conference office. He has served as chair of the SEC CMO committee in 2016.
Prior to his decade at Alabama, Ledford was the Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Promotions at Illinois State from 2007 to 2011. He led efforts that generated over one million dollars in ticket sales for four consecutive years, managed all sales operations of the corporate sponsorship program, known as the "Spread the Red Business Partners Program," that included over 140 partners and $1 million in corporate agreements. Ledford also created Redbird Productions and landed a first ever television package.
His time at Illinois State spanned seven years. Ledford's first three years (2004-07) as the Director of Marketing led to his promotion. He oversaw the development and implementation of marketing and promotional plans for 19 intercollegiate sports and the creation of the campus wide "Spread the Red" marketing campaign, while also contributing to the planning and execution of fundraising initiatives for the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund.
"We are truly building something special here at KSU and I am very excited to welcome Brad to the team," said KSU Athletics COO Tamica Smith Jones. "Brad brings a wealth of diverse and high-level experience that we believe will help accelerate the bold strategic vision that is to enhance Owls Athletics and give our student-athletes, coaches, and staff the ultimate championship experience."
Ledford began his career in collegiate athletics at Eastern Kentucky. A two-time graduate of Eastern Kentucky (B.S. 2000, M.S. 2001), he started as a Marketing and Fundraising intern in 2001 and was a Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the Colonels from 2002-2004.
He currently is a member of the following organizations: National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA), International Collegiate Licensing Association (ICLA), National Association of Athletics Ticket Sales and Operations (NAATSO). Ledford has participated in the NACDA Senior Administrators Mentoring Institute, The Collegiate Athletic Leadership Symposium, and NACMA Veterans Summit multiple times for each organization over the last decade.
A native of Cadiz, Ky., Ledford is married to his wife, Natalie, and has three children, Dawson, Quinnley, and Lincoln.
