Peers on new Maryland AD Jim Smith: ‘You’re going to love him’

When Arthur Blank expressed an interest in launching a Major League Soccer franchise in Atlanta, the Atlanta Falcons owner had a knowledgeable resource on his staff, vice president and chief marketing officer Jim Smith. Smith’s experience, which included being president and general manager of the Columbus Crew, was invaluable in swaying colleagues, such as Falcons CEO Rich McKay, who had reservations.

“Arthur really wanted to buy an MLS team and make it work,” McKay said. “I would say the people that were on the frontline — one of which was myself — were more skeptical on our ability to deliver and whether it was the right thing to do, and I would say that Jim was the tipping point that said, ‘Yes, it is, and we should do it.’ And therefore we did do it.”

That conviction is one of several assets that will serve Smith, 59, well in his new role as athletic director at Maryland, according to those who know him. Smith, whose hiring was announced Thursday, succeeds Damon Evans, who left in March for the same position at SMU.

New Maryland athletic director Jim Smith Smith inherits a department in flux. (Courtesy of University of Maryland)

Monte Ortel is the executive director of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, a PGA Tour Champions tournament in Duluth, Georgia. Smith is a member of the board of directors, and Ortel said Terps fans are getting a tireless and innovative leader.

“I think only time will tell, but there’s going to be an energy that is going to be there and his approach is going to be to the betterment of the institution,” said Ortel, who is the chief operating officer of Gas South District. “If I was a fan of the Maryland Terrapins, I’d be ecstatic with his hiring.”

Smith inherits an athletic department that was embroiled in two months of flux. Former men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard left the program March 30 — just three days after guiding the team to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016 – for Villanova, and every player on the roster with eligibility entered the transfer portal.

Although the school hired Buzz Williams away from Texas A&M on April 1, the program is still trying to rebuild its roster. And the atmosphere around the football team remains tense as Michael Locksley attempts to rebound from a 4-8 season (1-7 in the Big Ten) that matched the 2019 squad’s school record for most losses in conference play.

Dan Courtemanche, the executive vice president of communications for Major League Soccer, has known Smith since 2000. At that time, Smith was hired by the Hunt family, owners of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, to run the Columbus Crew. Courtemanche said Smith won’t allow previous blemishes to derail his plan for moving the athletic department forward.

“This is one of the top opportunities in the country for someone to come into and make an impact in a terrific market with a wonderful conference at a strong school academically that has provided the resources for athletics,” Courtemanche said. “Jim will come in and look at everything through a different lens and theoretically be able to create new revenue streams to be able to provide more resources that will continue to elevate the performance on the field and off the field of the Maryland athletic department.”

Smith brings a wealth of experience to the job. After graduating from Northwestern with a bachelor’s in communication and Ohio State with a master’s in sports management in 1991, he was director of Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum at Sam Houston State from May 1991 to April 1994. The venue hosts the school’s basketball programs and volleyball team.

In 1994, Smith joined the World Wrestling Federation as its director of live marketing. He shared a story with Nick Masino, president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber in Georgia, about how WWF owner Vince McMahon fired every executive except for Smith, who was just a few weeks into the job.

“I can’t even imagine Jim in professional wrestling because he’s so professional and corporate,” Masino said.

Terps football coach Michael Locksley, shown during a 2024 game against UConn, hopes to lead his team back to a bowl game after a 4-8 record in 2024. Locksley was hired by previous athletic director Damon Evans, who has since left Maryland for SMU. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

From February 2000 to July 2004, Smith ran the Columbus Crew, which advanced to the MLS playoff quarterfinals in 2001 and semifinals in 2002. Courtemanche recalled several instances when Smith challenged rulings handed down by the league office.

“I know there were times when people would say, ‘Hey, Jim Smith is tough with these decisions, but he’s thoughtful, professional and measured with his approach in terms of how he addresses some of his concerns,’” Courtemanche said. “He was definitely tough and would stand his ground, but would provide specific rationale as to why he and his organization felt a certain way, and we always appreciated that.”

Smith left the Crew to join the Falcons from July 2004 to December 2013. He then moved to executive vice president and chief marketing and revenue officer for the Falcons, Atlanta United and AMB Sports and Entertainment from December 2013 to March 2016.

When Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened in 2017, famously low concession prices were a hallmark of the 71,000-seat venue. While that idea was driven by Blank, McKay credited Smith with trying to regain a certain segment of the fan base.

“Our attendees were getting older and less children were coming to matches or games,” he said. “The idea was, could we come up with a way to make it more affordable for the family so that the family would actually bring the kids to the games? Because that was just not happening. So he was definitely an advocate for that.”

From March 2016 to March 2020, Smith served as president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association and oversaw a $17 million budget. By the time he left, the organization saw a 15% spike in alumni participation and increased its annual giving revenue to a record $44 million.

Will Buckeyes fans and boosters criticize Smith for working for a Big Ten rival? Michael C. Eicher, senior vice president for advancement at Ohio State and president of the Ohio State University Foundation, won’t be a detractor.

“Under his leadership, the association launched innovative programs, expanded scholarship support, and deepened connections among Buckeyes around the world,” Eicher said in a statement. “I have no doubt he’ll bring bold, thoughtful leadership to College Park. We’re proud to call him a Buckeye and excited to see all he’ll accomplish in this new role.”

Since March 2020, Smith has been the senior vice president of business strategy for the Atlanta Braves. During his tenure on the board for the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, the tournament has raised at least $500,000 in each of the past four years, including a record amount of $876,309 in 2024.

Ortel said Smith tapped into a vast community of connections to assist the tournament.

“Just opening doors that would probably take someone a little bit more time to get there [where you say,] ‘Hey, Jim, how about this person at this company?’ ‘Oh, I know the CEO,’” Ortel said. “He is extremely well-connected.”

How Smith galvanizes the department will be significant. The name, image and likeness deals rife in college athletics have overturned the landscape, and a looming settlement between the NCAA and Congress will create a revenue-sharing plan that could enrich football and basketball programs, while potentially depleting the rosters of Olympic sports teams.

Terps field hockey coach Missy Meharg, who was on the school’s initial search committee, said she and her colleagues know what they expect from their new boss.

“As a leader, meet with coaches right away and just see what he’s all about and let us know that we’ve got that traditional AD/spokesperson in hand,” she said. “Secondly, he’s got to get chops, chops with money — fundraising, alumni, commercial. And he knows that area. So I look forward to seeing how he does with that.”

Masino described Smith as “without an arrogant bone in his body.” That should play well leading the athletic department at the state’s flagship university.

“Maryland’s got big corporations, and Jim can talk to anybody,” Masino said. “He can talk to the guy giving out your soda pop, and he can talk to the CEO of the soda company. You’re going to love him.”

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