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CoSIDA Officially Rebrands, Changes Name to College Sports Communicators
CoSIDA has unveiled a new name as part of an extensive rebranding initiative. Following an Aug. 31 vote by the association’s members, the organization will now be known as College Sports Communicators. As part of the rebranding effort, a new logo and redesigned website will follow over the next months.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) today announced it has changed its name to College Sports Communicators. The announcement comes after an Aug. 31 membership-wide vote on the name change, which was passed by the constitutionally-required margin of 60 percent in online/electronic voting. The name, College Sports Communicators, had been unanimously recommended by the Executive Board of Directors following an intensive branding study.
The name change is a major step in a larger strategic plan to highlight the association’s evolution and expansion. This move better aligns with its membership makeup and further positions the organization to support and advocate for its members who serve in the communications, digital and creative college sports industry, regardless of position or title.
Per the CoSIDA constitution, 10% of the full membership was required to participate in the Aug. 31 vote. Of those who cast their vote, a minimum of 60% needed to vote in favor of the recommendation for it to pass. In the final voting totals, votes in favor of the name change equaled exactly 60.0 percent. A total of 1,235 members cast a vote on Aug. 31; at voting, there were 3,619 eligible voters from the 2021-22 and 2022-23 memberships. There were 741 votes in support of the name change, with 494 in opposition.
Following the implementation of the All-In membership model for 2022-23 to include all communicators and creatives in intercollegiate athletics, the new name is the next step in the organization’s strategic rebranding to become a more impactful organization.
“We are thrilled that in voting, the membership demonstrated broad engagement and ultimately supported our new name, College Sports Communicators, the unanimous recommendation of our Executive Board earlier this summer. Our new brand identity and association name embodies an important step to a renewed sense of purpose, inclusivity, growth and enthusiasm for our current and future members.These changes are indicative of an association on the move,” noted CoSIDA President Jessica Poole, Chicago State deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer.
“With the constitutionally-mandated 60 percent threshold needed to pass the recommendation, I applaud the work of the CoSIDA staff in thoroughly vetting and verifying the voting numbers and data after voting closed at midnight Eastern on Aug. 31.”
Throughout the next several months, a rollout of the full rebrand to College Sports Communicators will take place. The rebrand will include an updated logo, a full redesign and relaunch of the official website and mobile responsive web platform, social media handles, and expanded professional development, member benefits and networking opportunities for all 2022-23 members.
“This is a historic day for all of the professional communicators working in college sports,” said CoSIDA Executive Director Erik Christianson. “Our transformational efforts are designed to show the significant and positive trajectory of the college sports communications profession and to share the innovation and growth taking place in our industry, especially in the digital space.
“Our new College Sports Communicators name is the latest step in the association’s rebranding initiative. For the first time, the organization is broadening its membership opportunities and welcoming digital-first professionals to become members in our All-In membership model. Our association is introducing a number of new resources, networking and professional development opportunities that reflect the enhanced focus and scope of our membership as our members tell the stories of college sports.”
The organization, which celebrated its 65th year during the 2021-22 academic year, is the second-oldest management association in intercollegiate athletics. It was founded in 1957 and is a 3,600+ international member organization of the athletic communications, sports public relations, media relations, digital and creative professionals throughout all levels of college sports in the United States and Canada. CoSIDA became an affiliated partner with NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) in December 2008.
Voting is a right reserved only to current CoSIDA members. Because the vote took place during a transition to a new academic year, dues-paying 2021-22 members and all current 2022-23 members were eligible to vote.
More about CoSIDA’s transformational efforts over the past four years can be found at CoSIDA.com/a-new-vision.
About College Sports Communicators
The second oldest management association in intercollegiate athletics, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) successfully rebranded in August 2022 and is now known as College Sports Communicators.
The organization, now in its 66th year as an organization, was founded in 1957.
Today, it is a vibrant 3,600-plus member international association, comprised of the athletic communications, media relations, digital and creative professionals throughout all levels of intercollegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. The organization’s signature program is the Academic All-America® program, honoring thousands of outstanding scholar-athletes annually.
College Sports Communicators has two primary missions as it seeks to have its profession, organization and membership take its rightful leadership role within the decision-making levels of the intercollegiate athletics community:
1) Provide communications professionals at all college and university levels with professional development and continuing education as it relates to strategically and effectively managing and influencing the many issues, challenges and opportunities that exist within the fast-paced and ever-changing communications environment. 2) Play a significant leadership and resource role (i.e., develop strategic communicators) within the overall enterprise of college sports, thus helping their campuses, conferences and other management groups and their respective memberships deal with a set of communications-based issues that is the most complex and challenging in history.