Chris Park was named Deputy Athletic Director, External Relations in July 2020 after joining Washington State as Washington State’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations in August 2018. Park’s duties include oversight of athletic communications, marketing, ticketing, creative services and video operations, while also serving as the sport administrator for baseball and WSU’s liaison with Learfield IMG College.
Under his direction, the Cougars external units have excelled with an expanded social media presence, hosted noteworthy events such as ESPN’s College Gameday, the Klay Thompson and George Raveling jersey retirement ceremonies, as well as improving the partnership with Learfield IMG College. Park worked to secure an $11 million Field Naming Rights agreement with GESA Credit Union in March 2021, through a partnership with Learfield | IMG College, resulting in Gesa Field at Martin Stadium.
Park has worked diligently to brand Cougar Athletics, resulting in improved ticket sales revenue for football, and men’s and women’s basketball. In 2020, His guidance helped WSU Athletics received the gold honor for the category of “Single Game Sales Campaign” from the 2020 National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) Best of Awards. Park also serves as co-chair of the Revenue Optimization committee within WSU Athletics Unleashed Strategic Plan.
In his role as sport administrator, Park served as chair of the committee to hire baseball coach Brian Green in the summer of 2019 and has worked closely with internal and external groups on the construction of the $10 million, privately-funded Project B.T.O., the start-of-the art facility baseball facility that is scheduled for completion in October 2020.
Prior to coming to WSU, Park spent six years (2012-18) as the senior associate athletic director for external operations and development at UTEP, after joining the Miners in July of 2012 to serve as the Associate Athletic Director for Development. At UTEP, Park oversaw external operations, including ticketing, marketing and video production & graphic design, while serving as the liaison with IMG, UTEP’s multimedia rights holder. He was heavily involved in athletic fundraising and served on the athletics senior staff and as the sport administrator for football and men’s golf. In 2014, Park served as the Co-Chair for the Conference USA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournament and in 2015-16 chaired the university and citywide committee tasked with commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the 1966 NCAA Championship. During the spring of 2018, Park was credited for his leadership and assistance in raising over $10 million toward the planned $15 million renovation of the Sun Bowl which started this past summer.
Prior to El Paso, Park spent six years (2006-12) at Texas State University as the assistant athletic director for development. During his time on the senior administrative staff in San Marcos, Texas, Park oversaw the Bobcat Club and served as a major gift fundraiser. He played a vital role in the school’s transition from Division I FCS to FBS.
Park joined the Texas State staff after more than two years at Sam Houston State, where he served as the Bearkats’ first athletic development and marketing coordinator from January 2004 to July 2005 before spending August 2005 through July 2006 as the school’s external operations coordinator.
Prior to Sam Houston State, Park held a pair of positions in the department of athletics at his alma mater, Texas A&M University. While at A&M, Park worked in both the marketing and media relations offices.
At Texas A&M, Park held the position as the 12th Man team rewards program coordinator, where he managed the program’s $100,000 budget, oversaw the program’s marketing efforts, hired and scheduled staff, and developed corporate sponsorships.
Park’s athletic administrative career began in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, as a marketing intern at Texas Christian University, where he developed corporate sponsorship proposals, worked with ticketing and executed marketing research for the department.
A 2002 graduate of the Lowry Mays School of Business at Texas A&M, Park also holds a master’s degree from the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M, which he completed in 2004.
He is married to the former Anna Johnston and the couple has a son, Matthew.