In the summer of 2024, Idaho State Athletics named Evan Bates its new Director of Sports Marketing and Promotions!
Bates, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management degree from Linfield University (OR) and a Master of Science degree in Sport and Athletic Administration from Central Washington University, will oversee the department and athletic teams marketing efforts, manage gameday scripts and promotions, and supervise marketing interns and support staff.
Bates comes to ISU after spending the last two years as a Graduate Assistant of Athletics for External Affairs at Central Washington, where he created and created and implemented marketing & promotional plans for the Wildcats' 15 NCAA Division II teams. In his role he spearheaded multiple marketing and branding campaigns highlighted by t-shirt giveaways, social media contests and promotions, free student ticket giveaways, and senior day ceremonies. In addition, he oversaw the creation of game scripts, orchestrated game day productions and all digital videoboard operations, and supervised a team of athletic marketing interns.
On top of his graduate assistant position, Bates also served as an Ambassador for Marketing and Fundraising with the Northwest Center for Sport (NWCS), where he led social media and marketing initiatives for NWCS events, podcasts, and fundraisers, that all elevated the brand's presence.
A student-athlete at NCAA Division III Linfield University, Bates was a two-year letterwinner on the Wildcat baseball team as a pitcher and earned recognition as a Northwest Conference scholar athlete. Off the field, he served as a representative on the Student-Athlete Academic Advisory Committee (SAAC), served as a sports information intern in the Linfield athletics department, and earned valuable experience working as a GoTeam! Captain of the U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials in 2021 and as a media volunteer at the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2022. Bates went on to receive the Outstanding Sport Management Student Award and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Linfield in 2022.
