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Phone: 805.893.8320
E-mail: Mark.Massari@athletics.ucsb.edu
Mark Massari was appointed UC Santa Barbara's 13th Director of Athletics on August 18, 2008 by Chancellor Henry T. Yang. Massari succeeded Dr. Gary Cunningham, who retired after leading the department to unprecedented success in competition and the classroom for 13 years.
Already in the midst of his first year, Massari and the entire intercollegiate athletics staff have made an immediate impact with broad ideas to showcase the outstanding academic mission and reputation of UCSB through its athletic programs.
Since his start date, the department has launched several successful marketing programs to engage the community, alumni, and campus. The efforts have included new ticket campaigns resulting in the first sellout at the Thunderdome for men's basketball since 1999, the best overall men's soccer regular season attendance ever with the national power twice setting NCAA attendance records in 2008, and an innovative sportsmanship program for fans and student-athletes, "The Gaucho Way".
He leads a department with remarkable academic success, including a 92% student-athlete graduation rate. UCSB is one of the top ranked public universities in the nation.
Massari arrived on the Santa Barbara campus after serving seven years at Oregon State University, most recently as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs directing all revenue-generating, external marketing, and communications activities for the Pac-10 school.
During his career with the Beavers, incredible heights were reached on the field - two consecutive baseball national championships, the second most football wins in the Pac-10 over a six-year period, and five bowl games - as well as capital improvements and marketing efforts. Over his seven years in Corvallis, OSU successfully completed $115 million in facility upgrades, set attendance and ticket sales records, launched the Pacific Northwest¹s first ever Hispanic sports marketing program, and increased marketing, sponsorship, and licensing revenue three-fold.
Massari's experience also touches professional sports where, for three seasons, he directed the San Francisco 49ers' broadcast network, managing rights agreements between longtime flagship KGO (ABC, Inc.), affiliates, and the NFL team.
Massari spent four years at the University of Miami (Fla.) where he directed the Hurricanes' sponsorship and marketing programs - including Hispanic sports marketing efforts - and is credited with raising baseball attendance and revenue for the perennial power.
In addition, Massari spent two years in the athletics department at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, Calif.
Massari has a bachelor's degree in history from Sacramento State and a master's degree in leadership from Duquesne University. At Sacramento State he was a four-year scholarship football player for the Hornets from 1987-91.
The Napa, Calif. native and his wife Kimberly have a daughter Madeline (5), son Joey (2), and a yellow lab named Hobbs.
