College Sports Information Directors of America

by John Paquette – 2023-24 College Sports Communicators President  @wjpaquette
BIG EAST Conference, Senior Associate Commissioner, Sports Media Relations

Another year is upon us. Well, okay, it’s already started.

I hope you have at least come close to taking all your vacation days. I’m better than I used to be at that, but I still have some room for improvement. Family members usually remind me about that.

I’m excited about the opportunity to serve as your CSC President for 2023-24. As you know, our organization has undergone plenty of changes in the last year and a half or so. New name, new logo, the All-In Membership plan. Lots of new.

I’m happy to report that these changes are working!

It was this past June in Orlando that we held our CSC Unite Convention. It was our first convention under the CSC banner. We thought we had a very successful event and if you attended, I hope you agree.



Our name, College Sports Communicators, is not even a year old, but has been well received in and out of our world. Whenever I have mentioned the change to people outside communications, the response has been that it makes perfect sense.

Of course, that means the logo has not reached its first birthday, either. While not trying to disparage any other group, we really liked the way our new logo stood out in Orlando, especially when positioned with the many other looks.

Our All-In Membership plan has helped push our membership numbers to record heights. We ended the 2022-23 year with 4,123 members. About 500 were first-time members and at least 600 had a title that referred to creative services.

Helping attract creatives to our organization is a prime goal. Creatives play a vital role in communications efforts every day. That’s one of the reasons why we moved ahead with “communicators” in our new name. We are so much more than just “sports information” and it’s been that way for a while.

OK, I don’t want to get too carried away with patting ourselves on the back. We have our challenges, too.

We’re losing people, especially the younger professionals. We are spending too much time in front of our laptops. And usually, people can make more money in the private sector.

I don’t have a magic wand to make some of this go away, but I do think we can help ourselves a little. I’m always saying that it’s personal relationships that make our jobs great. That’s the payoff for the long hours we put in and it’s the fun part of the job. So, do your best to make a concerted effort to see and be seen whether it’s simply with your co-workers or with our outside events.

Remember, too, that communications people are not the only ones with a mega-million things to do. Trainers, events personnel, administrative staff, and even athletic directors are being stretched daily. The last few years have been particularly trying.

But I love being part of a team, whether it’s my communications group or our entire office staff. It’s been my professional career. I’ve enjoyed being on CSC committees and serving on the Executive Board of Directors.

We would love for you to get involved with CSC at the level of your choosing. Don’t worry, it can be in small bites.

We know how crazy our lives can be. Just reach out to us.

Have a great fall season.

John