Jason Eiche, a veteran marketing and public relations professional, joined the Bellarmine Athletics staff as a consultant in 2020, as the Knights were rising to NCAA Division I status, and helped double its corporate sponsorships of athletics programs. He became full-time director of Athletic Corporate Sponsorships in 2021.
Before that, he was a general manager for Learfield IMG College, a national collegiate sports marketing company. He was responsible for all corporate partnerships and community relations of athletics at Miami (Ohio) University, his alma mater, and then at Western Kentucky University.
“I am a native of Louisville,” he said. “Our family was living in Ohio in 2020, so this was a great opportunity to return home and continue working in college athletics.”
"I have always wanted to teach. My mother was an elementary school librarian, so the seed was planted early."
It was also an opportunity to pursue another passion: teaching. On May 11, he will receive his Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership and Social Justice.
“The primary reason for returning to school is that I have always wanted to teach,” he said. “My mother was an elementary school librarian, so the seed was planted early. Eventually, I'd like to continue my current role and also begin to teach sports marketing and business leadership to Bellarmine undergrads or grad students.”
He said the master’s program helped to prepare him in the areas of campus leadership, campus equity and educational studies.
“Dr. James Archibald [chair of Higher Education Leadership and Social Justice] has been tremendously helpful throughout the journey and has become a friend,” Eiche said. “He's also a supporter of BU Athletics, so it's great to see him out at ballgames.”