Mark Fratto, Associate Athletics Director for Communications, St. John’s University
Mark Fratto joined St. John’s Athletics in August 2005 as the Red Storm Director of Athletic Communications. Promoted to Associate Athletics Director during the summer of 2006, Fratto oversees the media relations and publicity efforts for all 17 of St. John’s varsity sports teams, serving as the lead sports information contact for St. John’s men’s basketball.
Also during the summer of 2006, Fratto was honored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) with the “Rising Star Award.” The first award of its kind, the honor tabbed Fratto as one of the top young communications professionals in all of intercollegiate athletics.
Fratto and his staff are responsible for coordinating all media interviews and producing award-winning media guides, press releases, game programs and other materials used to garner publicity for St. John’s Athletics. He and his staff are responsible for the administration of RedStormSports.com, the University’s official athletics website, as well as all video and social media efforts. Fratto also serves as the supervising producer of the Red Storm Report television show, which took home a Telly Award for excellence in local television in 2008.
A former Assistant Media Relations Director at the University of Maryland, Fratto was the lead contact for future Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams and the Terrapin men’s basketball program. He served as the communications director for men’s basketball and several Maryland teams from 1999-2005. Fratto played host to large-scale media events such as ESPN College Basketball GameDay’s visit to the College Park campus, and served as media coordinator for several NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference championship events.
A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Fratto has tasted the ultimate in the collegiate profession, serving as a media relations contact for the Terrapins as they captured the 2002 NCAA men’s basketball championship. He also accompanied the Terps during their 2001 Final Four run and was the lead contact during their Atlantic Coast Conference title campaign in 2004.
Fratto graduated from the State University of New York, College at Geneseo, with a degree in mass communication in 1999, and fulfilled graduate coursework in sports administration at Maryland. Fratto further completed several summer stints in the United States Military Academy Media Relations Office, learning from one of the nation’s finest sports information operations in Army’s publicity efforts.
In addition to his sports information background, Fratto has experience behind the microphone, serving as public address announcer for several minor league baseball squads and calling a variety of intercollegiate contests at Maryland, Army, Geneseo and St. John’s.
Rick Church, Director of Sports Broadcasting, Michigan State University
Rick Church is the director of sports broadcasting at Michigan State University. He has been with the Spartans since 1998.
Prior to joining Michigan State, Church worked with the Detroit Tigers as their director of scoreboard operations, from 1992 – 1998. Before working with the Tigers, Church spent nearly two decades with the Red Wings as their director of scoreboard operations, from 1979 – 1996.
Church graduated with a B.A. from Ohio University in 1975. From 1977-1979, he worked as an assistant manager for Michigan State basketball, including 1979 National Championship team. He received an M.A. from Michigan State in 1979.
Gregory Weitekamp, Director of Broadcasting, NCAA
Currently serving as the NCAA’s director of broadcasting, Greg Weitekamp oversees the operations of the broadcasting alliances unit. He and his team are responsible for the day-to-day management of the television, radio and Internet programming and production aspects of the CBS and ESPN contracts. The broadcasting alliances team also supports a wide variety of initiatives from the national office, including management of the NCAA photography rights, the fulfillment of all footage and licensing requirements, production of internal videos, production of officiating videos, syndication and production of televised events not activated through the CBS and ESPN contracts and the distribution of NCAA’s international television rights. Greg joined the NCAA in December 2001 as the manager of syndication and asset management at which point he was directly responsible for television and radio syndication, tape library operations including licensing of footage, production and marketing of home video/DVD sales and assisted with the NCAA international rights administration.
Prior to joining the NCAA, Greg worked at the Horizon League, a NCAA Division I conference based in Indianapolis. At the Horizon League, Greg was the communications coordinator where he handled creation and distribution of press releases, compilation of regular season statistics for a variety of sponsored sports including women’s basketball and baseball, production of media guides and management of the League’s official Web site, including a redesign of the site in 2001. He also worked closely with the Horizon League’s television package where he coordinated all halftime programming.
Greg graduated with a B.S. in Telecommunication Arts from Butler University in 2000. Greg is currently enrolled in the College of Business at Butler University where he is working toward his M.B.A. Greg and his wife Shelly currently reside in Indianapolis.
Bob Vecchione, Deputy Executive Director, NACDA
Bob Vecchione serves as the deputy executive director of NACDA and has been with the organization for 17 years.
His primary responsibility has been to orchestrate the growth of the Association, both internally and externally. During his tenure, NACDA has initiated a multitude of programs that provide value-added benefits to the ever increasing membership and has continually upgraded NACDA’s technological capabilities to better serve its constituencies.
In an effort to expand upon NACDA’s mission and educational philosophy, 12 professional associations have been created and managed since 1992, each representing a specific business unit reporting directly to the director of athletics. The intercollegiate associations representing intercollegiate marketing, licensing, development, compliance, business managers, facility/event managers and latest addition, CoSIDA, have flourished under NACDA’s management. In addition, individual athletics directors associations falling under the NACDA’s umbrella include the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division I-AAA and Division II. Lastly, the National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) and the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) complete NACDA’s association management program that can be directly attributed to an increase of 3,000 new members since 1992.
The Annual NACDA Convention has virtually doubled in revenue and stature since 1992 and has grown to become the premier meeting place for athletics administrators. The Convention attracts more than 2,500 administrators and over 2150 corporate exhibitors. Additionally, Vecchione has created an multi-tiered sponsorship program that has grown to represent in excess of 25 corporations, providing more than $2 million in monies, goods and services.
Vecchione serves as chair of the NCAA Football Youth Initiatives Committee, the NCAA Football Marketing Subcommittee, is the statutory agent for each of the associations NACDA manages and serves on the Board of Directors for Collegiate Directories.
Prior to joining NACDA, Vecchione served for two years as an assistant athletics director/media relations for the men’s department at the University of Minnesota, where he was also the executive director of the 1992 Twin Cities Final Four Organizing Committee. He also had an 11-year career at National Car Rental and, during that time span, became one of the original NCAA corporate partners.
Vecchione attended Missouri Western State University on a baseball scholarship and recently was recognized by the University as a Silver Anniversary Award Recipient. Vecchione and his wife, Mary, have a daughter Amy (25) and son, Bobby (22).
Mike Sheehey, Senior Vice President of Sports Content, Comcast Sports Group
Comcast Sports Group Senior Vice President of Sports Content Mike Sheehey is responsible for evaluating sports television rights agreements for Comcast Sports Group’s ten regional sports networks, including rights agreements with professional leagues and teams, collegiate conferences and institutions, and other rights holders.
Collectively, Comcast Sports Group’s ten channels deliver more than 2,400 live games to nearly 40 million sports fans in leading markets around the country, including seven of the top ten television markets. Comcast Sports Group’s channels are distinguished by their comprehensive local focus, combining live game coverage with entertaining sports news, talk, analysis, features and other original programming. Comcast Sports Group’s networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, SNY, The Mtn. – MountainWest Sports Network, and CSS. Comcast Sports Group also manages The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming.
Mr. Sheehey, 47, has also contributed to Comcast Sports Group’s growth by creating and launching Comcast SportsNet California and CSS, and he was instrumental in the development of several of Comcast’s other local sports programming services. He previously ran Comcast’s cable systems in the Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. region, and held senior-level financial positions with ESPN and CBS Television.
Mr. Sheehey holds a master’s of tax law from Temple University, a JD from Concord University, an MBA from the University of Rochester, and a BBA from St. Bonaventure. He attended St. Bonaventure and Syracuse University on basketball scholarships.
Jon Rees, Vice President, MountainWest Sports Network
A 29-year veteran of television production, Jon Rees is responsible for all technical operations at The Mtn. – MountainWest Sports Network, including master control, transmission, distribution, and studio and remote productions. He also oversees all new media applications, inclusive of VOD (video on demand) and broadband applications. Recently, Rees has been at the forefront of the network’s recent launching of high-definition live game programming.
Prior to the launch of The Mtn., Rees held a variety of television positions, ranging from executive producer to cinematographer, on-line editor to news director, and most recently, senior director of operations for the Comcast Media Center in Centennial, Colo., the home of The Mtn.’s studios and administrative offices.
Rees began his career in broadcasting as the master control operator at KTSC-TV in Pueblo, Colo. while attending the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo, where he was a four-year letter winner as a tight end on the institution’s football team and graduated with a B.A. in mass communication.
Patty Power, Senior Vice President, Operations and Administration, CBS College Sports Network
Patty Power is Senior Vice President of Operations and Administration for CBS College Sports Network, the first 24-hour college sports network. Power joined the Network in 2002 and helped launch CBS College (then CSTV), which debuted in April 2003. Power manages the operations, engineering and administration departments, which includes overseeing the technical production for over 350 remotes and hundreds of hours of studio and original programming annually.
Power has extensive experience in operations, production planning and administration, and has been integral to CBS College Sports Network’s growth and success since the Network’s inception. She is responsible for the distribution and quality control of the Network’s signal, including affiliate authorization, compliance, NOC and traffic. Under her direction, the Network built out a 20,000 square foot production facility at Chelsea Piers in New York City that includes studio, post production and a digital archive management system. In addition, Power has helped spearhead the Network’s increased High Definition production programming and capabilities.
Power came to CBS College from Major League Baseball Productions, where she was Vice President of Operations. In that role, Power managed the day-to-day operations of the production unit, served as the operations liaison with all 30 MLB teams, managed the footage and licensing department and oversaw the build out of MLB Production’s 25,000 square foot multi-level production facility in Chelsea Market, New York.
Prior to that, Power was Vice President, Operations for Classic Sports Network (ESPN Classic). As the first employee hired in the Operations department, she was responsible for building the Operations and Engineering department that launched Classic Sports Network. Power also worked at Showtime Networks as a Production Manager in Operations and at NBC Sports. In addition, she served as a Production Manager for a variety of major events including the XXVI Olympics in Atlanta, GA, the Three Tenors in Concert in Los Angeles, Calif. and Pavarotti in the Park, Central Park, NY.
Power is an Executive Board Member of Sport Video Group and is also a member of the National Association of Professional Women.
Power graduated from Farmingdale State College with a BA in Business Management. She currently resides in Garden City, New York with her husband and son.
Daniel Margulis, Director, Programming and Acquisitions, ESPNU
Daniel Margulis has served as director, programming and acquisitions for ESPNU since April 2006. In his current role, Margulis oversees all programming and scheduling for ESPNU, including college football, men’s and women’s basketball, lacrosse, softball, baseball and more.
Additionally, he manages the programming for ESPN RISE and other high school sports content on the ESPN networks. Based at the ESPNU production headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., Margulis is also responsible for developing and implementing ESPNU content across ESPN’s digital media platforms.
In addition, Margulis was responsible for launching ESPNU Campus Connection, ESPN’s student-generated content initiative, in January 2008. Since launching the program, over 100 schools have participated in various capacities, including sideline reporting and producing games and special segments for the ESPN family of networks.
Margulis had previously worked for ESPN and ABC Sports from 1993 to 1999 in various programming positions.
Prior to re-joining ESPN, Margulis worked for the NFL Network as director of programming and acquisitions from 2003-2006. While there, Margulis assisted in the launch of the new network and oversaw its programming schedule.
Margulis also worked as director of programming at the YES Network where he was instrumental in scheduling and developing original programming around the network’s launch.
Margulis is a 1992 graduate of Amherst College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. While in school, he played water polo and was co-captain of the team. In 1993, he received his master’s degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts.
Drew Martin, Associate Athletic Director for Branding and Creative Development, Texas A&M University
Drew Martin is in his 12th year of service for the athletics department at Texas A&M University. After his first three years as Assistant Sports Information Director, Martin was placed in charge of the newly created Web department in 2000. As Director of Internet and Special Projects, Martin was responsible for all athletics Web development, as well as the graphics design of marketing collateral.
Adding Brand Manager to his title, he also served as the department’s liaison to the University’s Office of Collegiate Licensing and campus merchandiser, Barnes & Noble College, Inc.
In 2006, Martin was promoted to his current position of Assistant Athletics Director for Branding and Creative Development, where he continues to oversee Web development, creative collateral design, and production and brand management, as well as serving as daily liaison to Learfield Sports for the program’s multimedia rights agreement.
Burke Magnus, Senior Vice President, College Sports Programming, ESPN
In March 2008, Burke Magnus was promoted to ESPN senior vice president, college sports programming. In that role, Magnus is responsible for the strategic direction of college football, college basketball and NCAA Championships on the various ESPN platforms. That includes the acquiring and scheduling of programming across ESPN on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Classic and more. He also manages the company’s relationships with college rightsholders, such as the NCAA and conferences.
Prior to his current job, Magnus had served as vice president and general manager of ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network, since November 2004. Magnus guided all programming, production and operations for ESPNU and led the inter-departmental team responsible for the growth and development of the network and related multi-media initiatives. Under Magnus’ guidance, ESPNU significantly increased its subscriber count through its satellite and cable affiliation agreements and launched ESPNU.com. He also helped lay the groundwork for the launch of ESPNU HD (August 2008).
Magnus joined ESPN in 1995 as a program associate and in 1996 was promoted to program planner. In 1998, he advanced to program manager and later became director of brand management in 2000 (later changed to director, programming and acquisitions), primarily responsible for ESPN’s men’s college basketball programming and scheduling. From 2002-2004, Magnus was a member of the ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) team where he served as the project manager for several programs, including the biopic on the life of Dale Earnhardt entitled “3”, which was critically acclaimed and the second-highest rated movie of 2004 on ad-supported cable. Prior to joining ESPN, Magnus was an administration assistant for Soros Fund Management from 1994 to 1995.
Under Magnus’ direction, men’s college basketball ratings increased over multiple consecutive seasons and new initiatives such as Bracket Buster Saturday and College GameDay (basketball version) were introduced. In 2006, Magnus was named to the distinguished Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40, honoring the most promising young executives in sports business under the age of 40. For his efforts, in 2005, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch named Magnus the “fourth most powerful person in college basketball.”
Magnus graduated from Holy Cross in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in history and then received his master’s degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts in 1994. During his time there, he served as a programming intern for CBS Sports from 1993 to 1994.
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