New Episode of BBOC: Tom Theodorakis, Director of Athletics at The United States Military Academy

On the latest episode of JohnWallStreet Presents: Big Business on Campus, a college sports podcast powered by Playfly Sports, JohnWallStreet Founder Corey Leff and Playfly Sports Chairman Michael Schreiber sit down with Tom Theodorakis, Director of Athletics at The United States Military Academy.

In this 50-minute conversation, the trio discuss: 

Army’s Proximity to Leadership 

Sponsoring or advertising with the United States Military Academy should be viewed a bit differently than spending with your average athletic department. The funding helps support the development of our nation’s future leaders.

So, Army’s athletic department is focused on doing a better job conveying how it operates within the institution and what’s needed for it to remain successful (i.e. facilities). It’s also leaning into selling the unique ancillary benefits that come with investment. 

West Point is, “in so many ways, a magnet to draw some of the best leaders in the world to post. Mark Cuban was here [recently]. It's just these [signature] moments. You're going to get former Joint Chiefs of Staff [on campus]. They might just be visiting [or] doing a talk. [That] gives us an opportunity then to say… ‘this is a place that [when you partner with us] you get to be associated with [all of those influential figures]’,” Theodorakis said. 

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Turning Defense Into Offense

Army Athletics maintains a unique commercial advantage: access to an ecosystem of military vendors that see the Academy as both a brand platform and launchpad for next-generation defense solutions. While those partners are developing software, AI, and cyber capabilities to aid the U.S. military, the athletic department at West Point is finding that many of those same tools can also be used to help improve how it operates, sells, and engages fans.

“You talk about AI, [we are] partnering with companies like Palantir,” Theodorakis said. Remember, “West Point is the innovation hub for the United States Army. It is where the intellect comes from… What we're doing on post here and what's coming out [of this institution], it's helping our Army right now ... [So, for athletics, it’s about] how we just align our efforts. We’re building a $300 million [plus] cyber center here. No one else is doing that. We're one of the few institutions in the country that has an actual course in AI…It's such a tool for all of us that [as an Academy] we're constantly challenging ourselves on how we continue to innovate.”

Unlocking Michie’s Non-Gameday Potential

Michie Stadium is undergoing a $170mm renovation. Army is adding 18 suites (currently 98% sold) and hospitality areas that had been lacking within the 100-plus-year-old venue.

“It gives us the ability to have concerts and live events. We talked about having an outdoor NHL game here. Having this facility [modernized] really opens up those types of revenue streams and opportunities,” Theodorakis said.

But the revamped stadium will also serve as a year-round hospitality and tourism hub for the military academy.

 ”Part of this renovation is actually the opportunity to help [Levy’s] build their own kitchen. There are opportunities, not just for a football game, but Monday through Friday for folks to come and eat at the stadium and to provide [them with] an awesome experience. We're also going to have our Hall of Fame [and] our gift shop [there],” Theodorakis said. “So, we really see this as when people are doing tours of West Point, the buses are going to stop right there…Commercially, [we expect it to] help bring some new revenue streams into our department.” 

📺Watch the full video on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube Page. 
🎧Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

We’ll be back with the next episode of JohnWallStreet Presents: Big Business on Campus in two weeks. DePaul University Senior Vice President & Director of Athletics Dewayne Peevy will be our guest.

Previous episodes of BBOC, including sit-downs with Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, Arizona AD Desiree Reed-Francois, Maryland AD Jim Smith, American Commissioner Tim Pernetti, Pittsburgh AD Allen Greene, Wake Forest AD John Currie, Kansas AD Travis Goff, Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris, Big Sky Conference Commissioner Tom Wistrcill, SMU AD Damon Evans, Ohio State AD Ross Bjork, West Virginia President Michael Benson, and Weatherford Capital Founding Partner Drew Weatherford, IMG Academy CEO Brent Richard and USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews on the Enrollment Cliff, Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould, and St. John’s AD Ed Kull can be found on JohnWallStreet’s YouTube channel. 

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