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Brad Smith ‏@BradSmithUAB
Thank you @uabathletics for the past 2 years. Met a lot of great Blazers and had a blast. Time for a new opportunity.

Well that was a quick visit.

Seems like we've had quite a bit of turnover this summer in the athletic department.

Yep. I was curious as to what was going on, however there is a point where it might not be any of my business.

(07-15-2013 01:26 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  Yep. I was curious as to what was going on, however there is a point where it might not be any of my business.

Look at the turnover that is going on at the state level as well. One may be simple as the elected state employee is leaving to become a (better paid?) lobbyist for the state's most influential political action entity - the Farm Bureau. When a boss has to figure how to make fewer dollars cover more needs, it must be tempting to jump ship when a good "position" comes along.

I suspect he may be leaving because either the new guy wants his own people in the marketing dept or because Brad didn't get the new guys job.

I thought the same.

I just hope that the new guy will actually "market" UAB Athletics. Been a while since that's happened.

I think Brad Smith did a good job of doing that compared to some others.
I believe he had worked at MTSU in the past, so he had some tweets here & there about MTSU.
Nothing too excessive though.

(07-15-2013 01:57 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I think Brad Smith did a good job of doing that compared to some others.
I believe he had worked at MTSU in the past, so he had some tweets here & there about MTSU.
Nothing too excessive though.

No dig at Brad, it's just there has been little to no $$$ to market UAB Athletics. And when you don't market your product, people stay away in droves.

Our marketing department has not done a bad job. Winning is the best marketing, though, and there hasn't been enough of that in basketball or football the last couple of years.

Coleman Barnes was Associate Athletic Director for Development (left for Little Miami) and Brad Smith was Assistant Athletics Director of Marketing. I'm missing at least one more name but I can't think of it right now.

Bill Lansden was hired as Senior Associate AD for External Affairs which includes development, marketing, media relations, and ticketing. Maybe just some consolidation in positions.

(07-15-2013 01:57 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I think Brad Smith did a good job of doing that compared to some others.
I believe he had worked at MTSU in the past, so he had some tweets here & there about MTSU.
Nothing too excessive though.

He was competent. Unfortunately, in marketing UAB, competent isn't enough. We need extraordinary, and we can't afford that.

(07-15-2013 02:07 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(07-15-2013 01:57 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I think Brad Smith did a good job of doing that compared to some others.
I believe he had worked at MTSU in the past, so he had some tweets here & there about MTSU.
Nothing too excessive though.

He was competent. Unfortunately, in marketing UAB, competent isn't enough. We need extraordinary, and we can't afford that.

Yes we can. Or at least we should. Extraordinary is not that much more.

Facebook and twitter are free.

(07-15-2013 02:11 PM)Smaug Wrote:  Facebook and twitter are free.

They sure as hell are! So is YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. We could market through these things for little to no money. If you drop $5 on a Facebook post to promote it you can have it viewed by thousands who haven't seen your Facebook page but live in the area.

(07-15-2013 02:44 PM)stc Wrote:  

(07-15-2013 02:11 PM)Smaug Wrote:  Facebook and twitter are free.

They sure as hell are! So is YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. We could market through these things for little to no money. If you drop $5 on a Facebook post to promote it you can have it viewed by thousands who haven't seen your Facebook page but live in the area.

Not entirely true. Doing social media advertising well and effectively can cost some money.

twitter and facebook are gimmicks. the marketing that needs to be fixed resides in the head coaches' offices in football and basketball.

(07-15-2013 03:12 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  twitter and facebook are gimmicks.

Wasn't aware you were an online marketer.

You guys are getting a helluva good guy in Bill Lansden, but you lost a good one with Brad Smith.

I'd gladly take both back at MT.

Best wishes to the both of them.

(07-15-2013 03:21 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(07-15-2013 03:12 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  twitter and facebook are gimmicks.

Wasn't aware you were an online marketer.

No, I just have to live in the world of crap that is "social marketing"