Ben Lucas has been named general manager of Jackrabbit Sports Properties at South Dakota State University. Jackrabbit Sports Properties, the university’s athletics multimedia rights holder, also is the locally based team for LEARFIELD, where Lucas has worked for nearly a decade.
“Our association with LEARFIELD and Jackrabbit Sports Properties has been a tremendous partnership,” SDSU Director of Athletics Justin Sell said. “We look forward to continuing that relationship for another decade under Ben’s leadership.”
As general manager, Lucas oversees all aspects involving LEARFIELD’s extensive multimedia rights and sponsorship relationship with the Jackrabbits, including corporate partnerships, signage, radio, event marketing, digital, and television.
Lucas comes to Brookings from Colorado State, where he served for the last six and a half years as senior manager for business development with LEAFIELD’s Rams Sports Properties. His responsibilities there included advertising, managing marketing and promotional opportunities and helping secure naming rights partnerships.
“My family and I are thrilled to be at South Dakota State and be a part of the Brookings community,” said Lucas. “Justin Sell and his team have created an environment that is poised for growth and anchored by a culture built on family. I’m looking forward to helping achieve great things for our partners at SDSU and the rest of Jackrabbit Nation.”
Prior to returning to his alma mater in January 2015, Lucas began his affiliation with LEARFIELD as an account executive with Bulldog Sports Properties at Fresno State University. He also worked five years with the Denver Nuggets, focusing on season and group ticket sales.
Lucas graduated from Colorado State in 2007 with a business administration degree with an emphasis in marketing.
ABOUT LEARFIELD
LEARFIELD is a leading media and technology services company in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD’s services includes licensing and multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics; ticketing, ticket sales and professional concessions expertise; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.