Breaking: Michael Drake Hired as Inaugural Clemson Ventures CEO

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson Ventures announced that longtime NBA and NFL executive Michael Drake has been named the first Chief Executive Officer of the commercial revenue entity. The hire was made by the Clemson Ventures Board, and Drake will begin at Clemson on Feb. 3.

“I am grateful to the Clemson Ventures Board for the opportunity to lead this first-of-its-kind organization,” said Drake. “I was immediately drawn to the position here at Clemson in its comprehensive approach to a professional model of fully integrated revenue generation. Clemson is one of the preeminent brands in college athletics and its commitment to innovating the business model will have long-term benefits for fans, student-athletes and the broader institution. I can’t wait to get to work with the Clemson Ventures team and our incredible partners to bring this vision to life.”

Clemson Ventures operates as an affiliated organization of Clemson University Athletics focused on maximizing revenue-generation strategies in the evolving college athletics landscape, which will require innovative business practices to help achieve competitive excellence. Clemson Ventures is designed with a true private-sector business structure and full-service marketing and NIL agency capabilities to drive revenue.

Michael impressed us with his ability to grasp what we’re trying to accomplish at Clemson with our partnerships team, and sees our potential for growth,” said Director of Athletics Graham Neff, who serves on the Ventures Board and helped oversee its creation. “We have an incredible team built out in sales, original content, broadcast productions, NIL and events, and Michael is going to make a major impact on how we can continue to grow.” 

Drake is an accomplished sports and entertainment executive with more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and business development with professional organizations like the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.

Drake has served as the Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena since 2018 where he led a 34-person team, managing a $73 million annual budget and overseeing corporate partnerships, premium sales, and a real estate portfolio. In that role, he designed and executed one of the NBA’s largest arena naming rights deals with State Farm and led the launch of NBA 2K and G League teams for the organization. His strategic leadership in restructuring processes and implementing innovative sales and sponsorship models has resulted in significant revenue growth.

Previously, he served as Senior Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer for the AMB Sports and Entertainment Group, where he led an 80-person team managing suite, ticket, and sponsorship sales for Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In this role, he partnered with Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United ownership and executive leadership teams. During his tenure, he implemented pioneering digital ticketing systems and created ancillary revenue streams.

Earlier in Drake’s career, he held leadership roles with Legends, where he doubled revenue for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium project, and assisted in bid presentations to win Super Bowl, Conference Championship and College Football Playoff events. Also with Legends, he played a pivotal role in the premium design and sales strategy for Levi’s Stadium for the San Francisco 49ers, leading more than $1 billion in premium and ticket licenses.

His experience spans partnerships with iconic brands, strategic event planning, and the seamless integration of sponsorship and fan experience elements, establishing him as a leader in the sports marketing industry.

About Clemson Ventures

Core Components of Clemson Ventures:

• Multimedia Rights Integration: Clemson is one of a handful of schools nationally that manages its own multimedia rights internally. Clemson Ventures expands upon this to optimize the university’s multimedia rights, offering a strategic and holistic approach to content distribution, sponsorship, and partnerships, ensuring maximum impact and revenue generation.
• Media and Original Content: Clemson’s investment in recent years in both its original content and live productions infrastructure has moved Clemson into a position of strength, including becoming one of the first to launch its own streaming platform, Clemson+. Ventures will pitch, manage and distribute high-quality original programming, leveraging modern media platforms to expand Clemson Athletics’ reach and influence on social media, Clemson+, over-the-air television and beyond, while continuing to enhance the game viewership experience for 150+ competitions and own-and-operated events annually.
• NIL Agency: Recognizing the need for innovative and sustainable NIL opportunities, Clemson Ventures has partnered with one of the nation’s top agencies and invested internally for a robust commercial revenue offering. In addition to comprehensive support to student-athletes, Ventures will be facilitating opportunities while ensuring adherence to educational and regulatory standards as they develop.
• Sales and Marketing: This unit will drive revenue through innovative sales strategies and cutting-edge marketing and social media campaigns, strengthening Clemson’s connection with fans, alumni, and corporate partners.
• Business Operations Unit: The newly established business operations unit within Clemson Ventures will focus on optimizing internal processes, financial management, and operational efficiencies, further enhancing the unit’s ability to generate and sustain revenue.