Moving and changing schools is a reality for many working in the college sports marketing profession. Craig Pintens, the Assistant Athletic Director/Marketing at LSU (follow him @LSUPintens) went through a move like this less than a year ago when he moved from Marquette to LSU. Craig was nice enough to answer some questions about his move in hopes that others might make a smooth transition as well.
Q. Thanks for taking the time to do this interview Craig. Changing jobs and moving to a different school is a situation that almost everyone with a career in college sports marketing will be faced with at some point. After spending 5+ years at Marquette what led to you eventually landing at LSU?
A. LSU was a tremendous professional opportunity and something we felt we needed to explore. There are only a handful of schools like LSU in collegiate athletics that compete at a high level across the board and have such amazing fan support. The other intriguing thing about the position was the pull of college football. I had only been at UTPA (University of Texas-Pan American) and Marquette and there is definitely no better place to experience college football than LSU and the SEC. It still was a tough decision, as I was very happy at Marquette and given a lot of opportunity to grow. In the end, we made a decision that we thought was best for my career long-term.
Q. How important of a role did your wife and kids play in your decision to move? What tips can you give others that might help smooth the transition for their family?
A. Anytime you have a family, your job in college athletics really becomes a lifestyle because of the demands and hours required of the position. My wife is the most supportive spouse anyone could have and has sacrificed a lot for us to be in this position. She helps keep me grounded and is the best mother to our children. As for our kids, they really didn’t have a vote, as our oldest was five when we moved and hadn’t started school yet. We moved here with a five year-old, three year-old and a one year-old and within two months of my wife arriving had our fourth in November. For them the transition has been pretty easy as they didn’t have many roots such as school or friends in Milwaukee other than family. All of them traded their Marquette gear for a bunch of LSU gear and have become huge LSU fans. Our son Jack has practically worn out his LSU football jersey, it might be time for him to get a new one. It isn’t as easy for them to see relatives, which is probably the hardest part. Our daughter had grandparents day at school and was one of the few children who didn’t have a grandparent there.
As for advice, the most important thing is trying to put your family in situations where they can meet people. My family moved here not knowing anyone, while I am able to meet new people on a daily basis at work. Anyone in college athletics struggles with trying to balance family and your profession, which goes back to it being a lifestyle. We structure a lot of our lives around the games and different sport schedules and they have become family activities for us.
Q. With Marquette being known primarily as a “basqetball” school, what challenges/surprises were you faced with during your first football season at an SEC football powerhouse?
A. Nothing can prepare you for the LSU football experience. It wouldn’t have mattered if I was at a “football” school or not. The RVs begin rolling in on Thursday and the party doesn’t end until really late Saturday night. There is such a rich tradition here and Tiger Stadium is always on the list of best places to see a college football game. It definitely didn’t disappoint. There is not a better place in America to watch a football game then Death Valley on a Saturday night. The season was a blur as I arrived here on August 13th with a little under one month to prepare for the home opener. The Florida game was unlike anything I’ve ever seen with an estimated 40,000-50,000 people who came to campus just to tailgate and didn’t have a ticket. Anytime you gather 93,000 people in one place who are passionate about the same thing, your atmosphere is going to be unbelievable.
Q. Is there anything you did specifically your first 30 days at LSU that you feel helped establish your presence/gain the respect of your new peers and co-workers?
A. Again, my first thirty days were an absolute blur as it was full-speed ahead for the football season. Anytime you start somewhere new, it’s always best to try and sit back and observe before making drastic changes, especially at a school with tradition like LSU. Respect cannot be earned in just thirty days, but you can start building a foundation of respect to draw from. I’ve never been one to look for short-term results and that is especially true in dealing with co-workers. Respect is a bank and I am always making deposits, just trying to draw some interest.
Q. Do you have any other tips/suggestions for other sports marketers either faced with an impending move or considering one?
A. Don’t ever take a job for title or money, take it for the opportunity. LSU was and is an outstanding opportunity.
Thanks for the interview Craig!
About Craig Pintens
Assistant Athletic Director/Marketing
Craig Pintens is in his second year at LSU and serves as the Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing, overseeing the marketing efforts for all twenty-one sports. Prior to LSU, Pintens served at Marquette University where he served as the Associate Athletic Director of Marketing and Sales. At Marquette, Pintens was responsible for external efforts of the department and served as the sport administrator for men’s soccer. While at Marquette, Pintens established attendance and revenue records in both men’s and women’s basketball ranking in the top ten nationally in men’s basketball attendance.
Pintens served as the Marketing Coordinator at the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) from 2002-2004, where he managed all sales, promotions, marketing and game day operations while serving as member of athletic department executive (senior) staff. Pintens was instrumental in record corporate sales numbers and successfully negotiated the first ever-Spanish radio broadcast of Bronc Athletics.
Pintens has also worked with the Milwaukee Brewers, Beloit Snappers and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Athletic Department.
The National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) has honored Pintens with awards fifteen times in the areas of season ticket campaigns, advertising, ticket sales, new media and corporate sponsorship. Pintens has been a featured speaker at various conferences throughout the country in the areas of management, marketing, revenue generation, new media and game atmosphere.
Pintens received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing cum laude from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater and his Juris Doctor degree from the Marquette University School of Law. Pintens is a member of the Wisconsin State Bar and serves on the Board of Directors of NACMA. Pintens resides in Baton Rouge with his wife, Jill and their children, Kaitlin, Jackson, Tate and Avery.
