CLEVELAND – Cleveland State Director of Athletics Scott Garrett has announced the appointment of Tyler Jones as deputy director of athletics for external operations.
A dynamic leader, and former NCAA Division I multi-sport student-athlete, Jones comes to Cleveland State having served on the athletics marketing staff at Ohio State since 2013, most recently as the assistant athletics director for fan engagement.
"I could not be more excited to be adding someone as highly respected and decorated in our profession as Tyler Jones." said Garrett. "When I began reaching out for recommendations on our Deputy Athletics Director position, Tyler's name was shared over and over. Tyler is the definition of a superstar and is a coup for Cleveland State Athletics. He will bring energy, professionalism and outstanding talent while helping our staff accomplish the goals of telling the great stories of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, while also delivering the unprecedented support we seek from our network of students, alumni, faculty and northeast Ohio."
In his role at Cleveland State, Jones will work closely with Garrett and the athletics leadership team on the strategic and day-to-day operations of Cleveland State's athletic program, which encompasses 18 sports and more than 300 student-athletes. Jones will oversee all of the department's external units and functions including ticket sales, marketing, fan engagement, development, corporate partnerships, branding, media relations and communications. In addition, Jones will serve as a day-to-day supervisor for multiple sport programs.
"I first want to thank Director of Athletics Scott Garrett and Cleveland State President Harlan Sands for affording me the opportunity to join the Cleveland State University family. I look forward to serving the student-athletes, coaches, staff and community here at Cleveland State as we build a culture of excellence and move the department forward through Scott's vision of providing CSU student-athletes a transformational experience."
Jones joined the Ohio State athletics department in 2013 as the assistant director for fan experience and promotions and was quickly elevated to director of fan experience and promotions in 2014. Jones was promoted to assistant athletics director for fan engagement in 2016 where he oversaw, and provided leadership, for the fan experience, marketing and creative design units. He managed a budget of over $1 million and developed and executed revenue campaigns through sponsorships and ticket sales. Jones also served as a liaison for trademark licensing and the Ohio State marching band.
Jones led marketing and promotional efforts for revenue generation through ticket sales for Ohio State football. Under his guidance, the Buckeyes recorded the highest average attendance in university history in 2017.
While at Ohio State, Jones also led marketing initiatives for men's and women's basketball, men's ice hockey, wrestling, women's gymnastics, softball and men's volleyball. Under Jones' leadership, his marketing team set 26 attendance records, while increasing ticket sales and attendance for 11 sport programs.
Jones has also been heavily engaged in professional development throughout his career. He currently serves on the board for the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA), attended the D-1A Athletics Directors Institute in 2015 and the NCAA Leadership Institute in 2016. At Ohio State, Jones served as a leader of the Wolstein Leadership Academy for Buckeye student-athletes.
Prior to his time at Ohio State, Jones served as the head of athletics marketing and promotions at Eastern Michigan and was a marketing and sales assistant at University of Tennessee.
Jones was a standout on the Eastern Michigan football team from 2004-09. During his senior season, Jones was elected captain, named the team's most valuable player and tied the NCAA Division I record when he hauled in 23 receptions in a victory over Central Michigan. Following the conclusion of the football season, Jones captained the Eastern Michigan basketball team where he averaged 4.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Jones earned his undergraduate degree in marketing and business from Eastern Michigan in 2009 and received his Master of Science degree in sport management from Eastern Michigan in 2011.
Jones will begin his duties at Cleveland State on Monday, July 22 and will be joined in Cleveland by his wife Ashley.