New COO Todd Knisley Looks to Innovate at Rutgers
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On September 2nd, Rutgers University Athletic Director Keli Zinn announced the hiring of Todd Knisley as Executive Deputy Athletic Director, Chief Operating and Revenue Officer. Knisley previously served as Vice President and General Manager for Ohio State Sports Properties at Learfield, a multimedia company that handles licensing, sponsorships, strategy, and paid media, among other services, for college institutions and brand partners.
Knisley and Zinn are no strangers. Knisley served as General Manager, Mountaineer Sports Properties, at Learfield while Zinn was Deputy Athletics Director at West Virginia from 2015 to 2020.
"Todd has a proven track record driving revenue and leading high-performing teams," said Zinn. "His addition to the Rutgers Athletics staff is critical to our success moving forward. He knows what it takes for athletic departments to thrive and compete at the highest levels. I'm thrilled to welcome Todd, his wife, Kelsey, and their children, Brooks, Chase, and Caroline, to the Rutgers family."
"This is an exciting time to join Rutgers Athletics as the department continues to build momentum and move forward under strong leadership. Working alongside Keli once again and helping bring her vision of success to life is a tremendous opportunity," said Knisley.
"I've always been passionate about building relationships that drive sustainable growth and leave a lasting impact on both the student-athlete and fan experience. As we navigate the increasingly complex collegiate athletics landscape, particularly with the ongoing evolution of name, image, and likeness, collaboration, innovation, and a strong work ethic will be essential. Together, we have an incredible opportunity to build something truly special, and I'm eager to get started," Knisley added.
Knisley was part of the formation of the Buckeye Sports Group, a groundbreaking initiative designed to support, streamline, and enhance NIL opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes. He helped elevate all 36 Buckeye sports programs and create a sustainable, best-in-class NIL ecosystem to benefit athletes, brands, and the University.
He was also named to the prestigious "Forty Under 40" list by Sports Business Journal in 2023 and has served as a board member with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission for the past five years. Knisley earned both a master's degree and a bachelor's degree in sport management from West Virginia University, graduating magna cum laude, and brings 15 years of experience in revenue generation, partnerships, and strategic growth to a Rutgers Athletics department sorely lacking personnel with his expertise.
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John Catapano graduated from Rutgers in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, covering the women’s field hockey and soccer teams for the campus paper, The Daily Targum. After college, he moved to Los Angeles, got a job at Walt Disney Television, and has worked in media ever since. John currently works with the Wasserman Media Group in their Brooklyn, NY office, collaborating with brands, influencers, and athletes across the globe. When the pandemic struck in 2020 and Catapano began working remotely, he resumed writing by contributing to a Rutgers fan blog. He covered various sports, highlighted human interest stories, and focused on topics that Scarlet Nation wanted to discuss. It’s never easy being a Rutgers fan, but with over 500,000 alumni living worldwide and a passionate fanbase, covering the Scarlet Knights is always engaging.