FAIRFAX, Va. — George Mason University Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Marvin Lewis announced the hiring of Joe Rafanelli as Deputy Athletics Director for Revenue Generation and Brand Strategy / Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).

Rafanelli joins George Mason after serving as Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation & External Operations at Old Dominion University, where he led the Monarchs' comprehensive revenue growth strategy. During his tenure, ODU achieved record-setting football attendance and revenue, expanded premium fan experiences, and introduced new revenue streams including enhanced tailgating and hospitality offerings.

"Joe is a proven leader with a strong track record of driving revenue growth and elevating the fan experience," said Marvin Lewis, Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics at George Mason University. "His ability to blend vision and creativity with data, technology, and efficient systems will be invaluable to our external operations team. In today's collegiate athletics landscape, generating sustainable revenue and cultivating innovative partnerships are essential — and Joe's leadership will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position as Northern Virginia's Team."

Rafanelli will provide strategic and operational leadership for all revenue-generating and external engagement functions, including ticketing, corporate sponsorships, multimedia rights, marketing and promotions, merchandising and licensing, communications, fan engagement, creative services, and media production. He will serve as the architect of a comprehensive, data-informed revenue and brand strategy aligned with the university's mission and goals, while continuously assessing return on investment (ROI) and key performance metrics to guide decision-making and optimize outcomes.

In his new role, Rafanelli will be a member of the department's senior leadership team reporting directly to Marvin Lewis. He will lead George Mason Athletics' Northern Virginia's Team campaign, spearheading storytelling and fan engagement efforts designed to strengthen the Patriots' connection with students, alumni, donors, and the broader community. A key component of this strategy involves cultivating innovative partnerships with campus departments and community stakeholders to expand reach, unlock new opportunities, and generate sustainable revenue growth.

"I'm thrilled to join George Mason University and work alongside Marvin Lewis and his outstanding team," said Rafanelli. "Mason has incredible momentum, and it's an exciting time to be part of this community. Under Marvin's leadership, I look forward to helping elevate the Patriots brand as Northern Virginia's Team, building on our proud tradition of success and deep connection to the region. Together, we'll focus on expanding engagement, creating innovative partnerships, and driving new revenue opportunities that enhance the student-athlete and fan experience across all of George Mason Athletics."

Prior to his time at ODU, Rafanelli was Assistant Athletic Director for Ticketing & Data Analytics at Rutgers University, overseeing ticketing operations, pricing strategies, and fan engagement. Under his leadership, Rutgers achieved multiple season ticket records in football and men's basketball, including the nation's fourth-highest five-year average attendance increase in football and consecutive seasons of sold-out basketball.

Rafanelli also held leadership roles with IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions (now Learfield Amplify), where he managed revenue growth initiatives for Rutgers and Temple and earned national recognition for ticket sales and fan engagement excellence.

A native of Exeter, Rhode Island, Rafanelli earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Arcadia University and an MBA in Marketing from Seton Hall University.

He and his wife, Jackie, will make the move to Northern Virginia from the Norfolk area. Rafanelli will begin is role on November 17.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT JOE

"Joe is one of the top practitioners of revenue strategy in our industry, and his track record of system- based thinking and investing in his staff will bring significant results in Fairfax. With today's focus and the need for every division member to generate additional revenue, I am confident that Joe will achieve sustainable results and contribute in a major way to the Department's strategic priorities. I couldn't be more excited for Joe and what he will contribute to Marvin's executive leadership team and the student- athletes at Mason. -- Alan Pandiani, Director-College Athletics, Paciolan

"Joe Rafanelli Is a high character individual, a proven leader of people, and simply a great teammate. He's excelled with revenue generation and business development at high achieving academic and athletic institutions in cluttered major markets...aligning well with the scenario at George Mason. As he joins the great leadership team that Marvin Lewis has assembled, I'm confident that Joe will continue to excel as Deputy AD Chief Revenue Officer for the Patriots." -- Rick Thorpe, Deputy AD/Chief Revenue Officer, University of Arkansas

"Joe's hard work, creative ideas, and unmatched skill set in ticketing and revenue generation were a tremendous asset to ODU. Well we'll miss him here in Norfolk, we're proud of what he's accomplished and excited to see all that he will achieve in this next chapter of his career." -- Carolyn Cooper Crutchfield, Executive Senior Associate AD, Sports Administration & External Affairs, SWA, Old Dominion University

"Joe Rafanelli is one of the most forward-thinking and people-centered revenue leaders in college athletics. His ability to align data-driven strategy with genuine care for people makes him a difference-maker in any organization. George Mason is getting an exceptional leader and teammate, and I'm excited to see the impact he'll make at George Mason!" — Ryan Gottlieb, Chief Revenue Officer, University of Colorado Athletics