Jordan Looby has served as the Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing Strategy & Fan Experience at Maryland since 2017. In this role, Jordan directs the day-to-day operations of the Marketing Strategy & Fan Experience unit and leads Maryland Football's marketing and fan experience efforts.
He joined the Maryland staff as a Marketing Assistant in 2013. In August of that same year, he became the Assistant Director of Marketing Strategy & Fan Experience before being promoted to Director in 2015.
Sports Industry Journey:
Education
Bachelor's Degree | Management and Global Business | Rutgers University
Master's Degree | Sports Industry Management | Georgetown University
Career
Student Manager - Football | Rutgers University
Gallaudet University | Sports Information Intern
Marketing Assistant | University of Maryland
Assistant Director of Marketing | University of Maryland
Director of Marketing | University of Maryland
Assistant Athletics Director of Marketing | University of Maryland
Twitter: @JPierceL
LinkedIn: Jordan Looby
How did you get started working in the sports industry?
I’ve gotten very lucky in my young career and the opportunities I’ve been given. Being a student manager for Rutgers' football team was the only sport or marketing experience I had. Being in that role opened my eyes to how athletic departments work and helps me now when working with our football team because I know how a football culture is and it helps me build relationships.
Right before graduating, one of my fellow student managers was applying to Georgetown for a Masters [in Sports Industry Management]. I didn't have a job lined up and all of my friends did, so I figured why not apply. So I applied and got in. The program suggested I get two internships so I worked in Sports Information [at Gallaudet University] which was a very intimidating environment for me. Gallaudet University is the nation's leading deaf university, so as someone who didn't know a single word of ASL, I had to learn quickly to communicate with a community who communicated in a different language.
My next internship was at Maryland. They needed someone to market Maryland’s women’s lacrosse, so I did it. I worked hard and haven't looked back.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
I’m going to cheat a little bit because it's a little over $100. My best friend was supposed to get married, [but with everything going on] they ended up having a super small wedding. I bought him a nice rye whiskey so it still was special. It was important to me because of how important people are in my life personally.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a “favorite failure” of yours?
I fail all the time. It’s hard to pinpoint one in particular. In general, I take things too personally. I care very much in the things I work on and am interested in. I probably get defensive at times and I always immediately regret it.
If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere in the world with anything on it – and you could get a message out to millions or billions – what would it say and why?
I think it would say “Be Kind”. It’s so easy and meaningful and important. Just treating people well and treating people with respect will help you lead an amazing life. You never know what other people are going through. Kindness is never the wrong thing to do.
What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)
I think just the time and energy towards relationships. The return on investment on those are exponential.
Is there an idea, belief, or trend in the sports industry that you feel strongly about, that others may not agree with and think you're crazy for thinking/saying it?
I think if we can find a way to integrate sports betting into college athletics. I recognize the sensitivity and extreme challenges in doing so, but I think there's an opportunity there. Maybe it’s not actually putting money on the outcome of games, but trying to figure out a way to implement it in some capacity.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student who is looking to start a career in sports? What advice should they ignore?
Just get involved. That was the one thing I wish I had done, I didn’t get involved enough really early on. The first question I ask potential interns is what year are they. I look for freshmen and sophomores. Even if you're young and don't know what you want to do, [getting involved early] will help you decide what you like and don’t like.
Was there a specific point in your career where you started handling tasks/projects that were outside of your comfort zone? If so, what was that specific point and how did you handle feeling overwhelmed?
Honestly the entire time of my career. I strive to handle tasks that are outside of my comfort zone and that’s the fastest way you’ll learn. There are certainly ebbs and flows of that. I think in terms of feeling overwhelmed, I got hired to become an assistant director but I had gotten hired before the first men’s soccer game when we played Duke. So I had to quickly prepare for the biggest men's soccer game in program history, while also serving our women's soccer program, on top of other responsibilities.
What are some tips you have for building and maintaining relationships in the sports industry? (It could be with a mentor, co-worker, donor, etc.)
I think it is just being genuinely interested in people. I think some bad advice is to go meet someone and talk to them for five seconds. Just thinking about that type of interaction gives me anxiety. It's important to actually take the time to listen and get to know people; that's how you're going to make meaningful relationships.
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