Podcast Summary: AD360 – "How Athletic Directors Can Showcase Their Athletes and Strengthen Their Brand"

Podcast: AD360, Host: PlayOn Sports
Date: March 11, 2026
Guests: Greg Vandermade (Host), Scott Rosenberg (Co-Host), Steve Montoya (MaxPreps)

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of AD360, hosts Greg Vandermade and Scott Rosenberg welcome Steve Montoya from MaxPreps as their first-ever returning guest. The trio dives deep into how athletic directors (ADs) can build their school’s athletic identity, collaborate with media, showcase athletes, and leverage branding to increase both athlete and program visibility. Drawing from their own experiences as former athletic directors, the hosts and Steve discuss the evolving landscape of high school sports, from media relations to embracing modern technologies and the importance of clear, consistent branding.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining and Building Program Identity

[03:34]

• Clear Identity: Steve emphasizes the significance of a "clear, recognizable identity" as key for media and community awareness. (C)

  "Number one is like, a clear, recognizable identity for a school is key, especially on the media side." – Steve Montoya [03:34]

• Pillars Beyond Winning: Sustained success helps, but unique program pillars—such as “developing college-bound athletes” or “multi-sport toughness”—set a foundation. (C)
• Collaborative Approach: Steve suggests starting with coaches to decide “three things our athletic program wants to be known for.” (C)

  "...for the athletic director and their coaches to just basically get on the same page of when someone hears of, you know, Smith School...they think of X, Y and Z." [06:34]

2. The Power of Marketing and Visibility

[09:11]

• Marketing Starts Local: Both public and private schools need to market themselves effectively—not just to athletes but entire communities, including feeder schools. (A & B)
• Recruiting and Reputation: Winning and program identity organically attract families and athletes, reducing the need for aggressive recruiting. (B)

3. Proactive Media Relations

[10:07]

• Build Media Relationships: Given shrinking local newsrooms, ADs should be proactive in reaching out—"you're never going to bug a media member by sending us too much." (C)

  "So the more that you build that relationship with, with your local media or your national media... the more you're going to get coverage..." – Steve Montoya [10:07]

• Help Journalists: Those covering high school sports want to “lift it and elevate it,” not tear it down. ADs should provide storylines, updates, and points of contact. (C)

4. Elevating Athletes through Accurate Stats and Exposure

[14:11]

• AD as 'Infrastructure Builder': The AD’s job is making data and information about athletes readily accessible (rosters, schedules, stats) for media and recruiting. (C)

• Importance of Platforms: Keeping info updated on platforms like MaxPreps is critical for college coach scouting and athlete exposure. (C)

  "...college coaches rely heavy on Max Preps just to even know when and where to go watch a player." [14:11]

• Recruiting Transparency: ADs must set expectations for coaches to respond honestly and quickly to college coaches for credibility and athlete benefit. (B)

5. Visual Branding and Consistency

[19:11]

• Visual Brand is First Impression: High-quality logos, consistent color schemes, and social graphics elevate a program’s look and help it stand out to media and community. (C)

  "...you look more like a college or a pro feel to your athletic program just by having a nice logo..." – Steve Montoya [19:34]

• Brand Book Advice: Use modern tools (even AI) to create a ‘brand book,’ making it easy for staff and media to maintain visual consistency. (B)

6. Leveraging Short-Form Video & Social Media

[24:16]

• Increased Athlete Visibility: Short-form videos (clips of big plays) gain huge reach quickly, compressing the timeline of discovery for coaches and fans alike. (C)

  "...a 20 second clip has 50,000 views overnight because it got in the mainstream of an algorithm and now all of a sudden you’re one of the most popular, you know, high school players on the planet..." [24:40]

• Accessible Technology: Parents, coaches, and athletes can efficiently create and share highlight reels, increasing both individual and program visibility without professional editing. (B)

7. Balancing Individual vs. Team Recognition

[29:08]

• Cultural Messaging: Celebrating individuals should reflect (and reinforce) team values and culture, not ego. (C)

  "...the healthiest programs understand that individual recognition is part of what we do." – Steve Montoya [29:08]

• Media Prefers Stories: Individual athlete stories attract media, but coaches should teach individuals to give credit to teammates—"tides raise all ships." (A & B)

8. The Future: SIDs in High School Athletics?

[34:31]

• Rising Trend: More schools—especially large programs—are hiring or assigning staff (like college SIDs) for content and media relations. (C)

  "But there were a few schools...where you already have someone like that in place... I think we're starting to see it already and I think we'll see that expand." [34:31]

• Automation and Student Involvement: Use automation tools and student managers to handle daily tasks, reserving higher-level media interactions for staff. (B)

9. Key Blueprint for Athletic Directors

[39:01] Steve Montoya’s summary steps for increasing program visibility:

• Clarify Your Identity: Decide what your athletic program wants to be known for and build from there.
• Clean Up Your Infrastructure: Ensure your digital presence (logos, stats, rosters, photos) is professional and up-to-date across platforms.
• Develop Media Relationships: Actively reach out, supply information, and help media tell your stories.
• Leverage Social Media Deeply: Post content for both teams and individuals; strong social engagement reaches new audiences and media members.
• Seize the Moment: Use short-form video to capture and showcase signature athlete and team moments quickly.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Winning breeds winning.” – Scott Rosenberg [05:43]
• “You're never going to bug a media member by sending us too much.” – Steve Montoya [10:07]
• “The AD is the coach of the coaches.” – Scott Rosenberg [18:00]
• “The visual identity shapes first impressions for sure.” – Steve Montoya [19:34]
• “Short form really rewards moments.” – Steve Montoya [24:40]
• “The healthiest programs understand that individual recognition is part of what we do.” – Steve Montoya [29:08]
• “Get your information out there, provide it before someone has to come and ask for it...” – Greg Vandermade [41:22]
• “Make it easy. The more simple and easy that you can make it for people, the better. That’s my biggest takeaway.” – Scott Rosenberg [42:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02–03:03 – Introduction and setting the episode’s theme and guest
• 03:03–07:44 – What builds an athletic program’s identity beyond just winning
• 09:42–12:05 – How to proactively work with media and get coverage
• 14:11–18:00 – Stat accuracy, recruiting exposure, and the AD’s role in building infrastructure
• 19:11–24:12 – The importance of logos, branding, and visual consistency; creating a brand book
• 24:16–29:08 – The impact of short-form video content on athlete visibility
• 29:08–33:40 – Balancing individual accomplishments and team recognition in the media
• 34:31–36:48 – The rise of content/media roles in high school (SIDs), automation, and using student managers
• 39:01–41:22 – Steve Montoya’s blueprint for athletic directors seeking greater visibility

Takeaways for Practitioners

• Clarify and communicate your program's identity; build consensus with coaches early.
• Build strong and proactive media relationships—reach out and supply stories, stats, and highlights.
• Invest in your visual brand; consistency and professionalism matter.
• Use technology and social media to make your program and athletes easily discoverable.
• Recognize and celebrate both teams and individual athletes in alignment with your culture.
• Plan to leverage student assistance and automated tools to manage growing promotional needs.
• Stay ahead by supplying information, rather than waiting for media or scouts to request it.
• Make everything—information, highlights, visuals—easy to access and use.

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