Lucas R Mashburn

Luke Mashburn is a sport management professional and academic leader with experience spanning collegiate athletics, professional sport, and large-scale event operations. Over the course of his career, he has worked with four NCAA Division I programs, Atlanta United FC, Major League Baseball, and other professional sport organizations, all while developing an operations-first perspective grounded in facilities, staffing, budgets, and event delivery.

His background includes helping to open three sports facilities, overseeing operations across more than 25 venues, and contributing to hundreds of events at multiple levels of competition. That work includes high-profile environments such as the World Series and Concacaf Gold Cup, along with the consistent, behind-the-scenes execution that defines successful sport organizations: planning, risk management, vendor coordination, event-day logistics, and delivering strong experiences for fans, participants, and partners.

In addition to industry work, Luke has built a substantial academic portfolio. He holds a PhD in sport management from Troy University and has published numerous scholarly articles and textbook chapters focused on the sports industry, bridging applied practice with research and teaching. He has also held senior leadership roles in higher education and sport organizations, leading teams and initiatives with an emphasis on accountability, operational excellence, and student and stakeholder outcomes.

Deeply involved in the community, Luke has served on the boards of directors of several nonprofit organizations and is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Cobb. A first generation college student, he is also a proud supporter of his undergraduate alma mater, the University of South Carolina.