Maryland Hires Atlanta Braves Executive James Smith as Athletic Director
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — The University of Maryland has appointed James Smith, a senior vice president of business strategy with the Atlanta Braves, as its new athletic director, the school announced Thursday. Smith takes over the role two months after Damon Evans departed to become the athletic director at Southern Methodist University.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Smith remarked, "It is a great honor to be chosen to lead the athletics department at the University of Maryland." He emphasized his commitment to enhancing student-athlete health, well-being, and academic success as he guides the university’s storied athletic programs into a new era.
Under Smith’s leadership, Maryland hopes to build on its recent successes, including the opening of a new football building in 2019 and a basketball practice facility set to debut this year. Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, the Terrapins have secured 49 conference championships and six national titles. Women’s basketball, under coach Brenda Frese, remains a top contender, while the men’s team reached the NCAA Elite Eight last season.
However, the football program has faced challenges, with last season’s performance (4-8 overall and 1-8 in the Big Ten) raising concerns. The Terps’ average home attendance of 36,040 ranked 17th out of 18 teams in the conference, highlighting the need for improvement.
Smith’s background includes a successful tenure with the Braves, where ticket and merchandise sales saw significant growth. He also served as president and CEO of the Ohio State alumni association and played a role in the design of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
As Maryland’s athletics department looks to navigate a financially strained landscape amid impending revenue sharing from an NCAA settlement, Smith will be tasked with driving both financial and athletic success for the university’s future.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
