Charlie Taylor, M.S.

Chief of Staff and Communications
Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity
Biography

Charlie Taylor is the chief of staff and communications for the Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity. He is responsible for the strategic development of programs and resources to align with the University of Iowa’s strategic plan and the Path Forward initiative. Taylor collaborates with campus and division staff to integrate leadership and services within the university community. Additionally, he is the primary communications and brand manager for the division.

Taylor served as associate athletics director for strategic communications and marketing for the University of Iowa Athletics Department beginning in June 2016. In his role, Taylor oversaw the External Relations unit within the UI athletics department, including marketing, communications, HawkVision, HawkeyeSports.com, social media, graphic design, and photography. In addition, Taylor served as contact with Learfield I.M.G. College's Hawkeye Sports Properties, the official multimedia rights holder for the University of Iowa athletics department. Taylor also served as B1G Conference Network TV contact and oversaw the relationship with the Hawkeye Marching Band.

Taylor was a member of the University of Oklahoma athletics staff for eight years, most recently as assistant athletics director for ticket sales and operations. He previously held the position of assistant athletics director of marketing for seven years.
With the Sooners, Taylor directed the ticketing strategy, sales, and operations for OU's 21 intercollegiate athletics teams and special events. Taylor had administrative oversight of OU's Paciolan relationship, management of the OU-IMG/Learfield ticket sales team, and the OU. Athletics box office and the Sooner Rewards program.

Taylor was tasked with proactively increasing ticketing revenues for the department most effectively and efficiently while providing the best ticket experiences for Sooner fans. In his role leading the marketing department, Taylor managed OU's advertising, promotions, and game entertainment elements. Athletics. He also managed advertising relationships and launched the Sooner Rewards program. He initiated the department's addition of the IMG/Learfield ticket sales team in 2012.

Taylor led the creation of the Sooner Jr. FANS grassroots community relations program, which now provides more than 4,300 hours of community service each year. He also managed OU's annual sponsorship and game production of the AT&T Red River Showdown and the OU. Spirit program and historic Sooner Schooner.

Taylor previously worked ten years in the Arena Football League, serving as part of the office staff from August 2004 until joining the team at Oklahoma. As director of partnership services, he was responsible for executing national relationships and marketing for the AFL's blue-chip partners in his final four years with the league. Taylor was part of multi-year partnership renewals with a number of those blue-chip companies and secured a multi-year exclusive contract with Discover Card.

Taylor worked with AFL teams for five years and joined the league office in August 2004 from the Los Angeles Avengers. He served as the Avengers' director of marketing for three seasons. In that position, he oversaw the team's marketing, promotions, brand development, and advertising. During his tenure with the Avengers, ticket sales increased 75 percent, and in-game attendance went from 51 percent to 85 percent.

Taylor also spent three years with the AFL's Detroit Fury and Palace Sports & Entertainment. In 2000, he served as business operations coordinator with the Fury and played an integral part in the team's launching during its 2001 inaugural season.
He brought together elements of business operations, ticket sales, sponsorships, public relations, and game operations. Taylor helped develop Fury's brand communications, grassroots marketing initiatives, and group ticket programming.

Taylor began with Palace & Sports Entertainment in 1998 in ticket sales. In that position, he worked with the NBA's Detroit Pistons, the WNBA's Detroit Shock, the International Hockey League's Detroit Vipers, the Fury, and a pair of music theaters.

Taylor earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Iowa in 1996, serving as the Hawkeye Marching Band drum major during his undergraduate career. He earned a master's degree in sports administration from the University of Tennessee in 1998, where he worked as a graduate assistant with the Lady Vol athletics department.

Taylor is a native of Davenport, Iowa. Charlie and his wife, Kristen, have three children; Addy, Chase, and Natalie.
 

 

Authored by Charlie Taylor, M.S.

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Charlie Taylor Headshot
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Education
B.A. Political Science 1996, University of Iowa
M.S. Sports Administration 1998