Robert Sampson was named director of strategic initiatives at Purdue in 2018 and has been with the school since 2017. Sampson has worked with NCAA Division I athletics departments in five conferences, including work during his career in team operations, gameday operations, ticketing, licensing, revenue generation, recruiting, social media content, media relations and event management.
In coordination with associate athletics director for strategic initiatives Tom Moreland and deputy athletics director Jason Butikofer, Sampson has helped to explore new revenue streams, worked to grow current revenue opportunities for the department and assisted with special projects. In addition, he played a major role in the coordination of administrative efforts for Purdue’s appearance in the 2018 Music City Bowl. It marked Sampson’s sixth bowl game since the start of the 2012 season in a media relations, team operations or administrative role. He also assisted in planning efforts for Purdue’s run in the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Sampson previously spent two seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm as the assistant director of football operations at Western Kentucky in 2016 and as the director of internal relations at Purdue in 2017. In his operational roles, Sampson assisted in the daily management of the program, including work with team travel, team meals, schedules, recruiting travel and the coordination of Brohm's schedule. Sampson also assisted with the management of football camps at both institutions. He also worked closely with communications department to shape the brand and messages being presented by the program to local, regional and national media members.
Efforts at Purdue in a team operations and administrative role helped guide the Boilermakers into one of the nation’s most impressive attendance turnarounds. From 2016 to 2018, Purdue football had its home attendance grow nearly 50 percent, the best mark in the nation - from 34,451 to 51,120. Purdue was the only school to see its average increase by 3,000 fans from both 2016 to 2017 (nation-best 13,433) and from 2017 to 2018 (3,236). In 2017, the Boilermakers attracted two capacity crowds of 60,716 at Ross-Ade Stadium - for the Ohio State and Iowa games - a first since 2007.
A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Sampson spent the 2015-16 school year at TCU, working in the media relations office with the women's basketball and football programs. During a prior three-year stint in WKU's media relations office from 2012 to 2015, Sampson helped reenergize the image of the women's basketball program, promoting four All-American selections and seven conference player or coach of the year honorees. The Lady Toppers won two conference tournament championships, made two NCAA Tournament appearances and earned the program's first Associated Press ranking since the 1997-98 season. Sampson also worked closely with the football program under the direction of head coaches Bobby Petrino and Brohm.
Sampson earned a bachelor's degree in integrated strategic communications with a minor in communications from the University of Kentucky in 2009. While at Kentucky, he worked with the media relations office, as a manager for the women's basketball team in 2006-07 and as a staff assistant for the men's basketball team in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Sampson earned a master's degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2011 and worked for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and the Louisville Sports Commission's Paul Hornung Award.
Sampson also spent time growing the brand of athletics at Louisville's Trinity High School on a national level. Under the guidance of head coach Mike Szabo, Sampson played a key role in establishing the Trinity boys' basketball program as a state power, national name and eventually helping the school claim the 2012 KHSAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. His work with the school's football program resulted in "Sports Illustrated," Scout.com and Rivals naming the team national champions in 2011. His efforts in promoting quarterback Brian Brohm in 2004 saw the Louisville native earn national offensive player of the year honors from "USA Today."
In coordination with associate athletics director for strategic initiatives Tom Moreland and deputy athletics director Jason Butikofer, Sampson has helped to explore new revenue streams, worked to grow current revenue opportunities for the department and assisted with special projects. In addition, he played a major role in the coordination of administrative efforts for Purdue’s appearance in the 2018 Music City Bowl. It marked Sampson’s sixth bowl game since the start of the 2012 season in a media relations, team operations or administrative role. He also assisted in planning efforts for Purdue’s run in the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Sampson previously spent two seasons under head coach Jeff Brohm as the assistant director of football operations at Western Kentucky in 2016 and as the director of internal relations at Purdue in 2017. In his operational roles, Sampson assisted in the daily management of the program, including work with team travel, team meals, schedules, recruiting travel and the coordination of Brohm's schedule. Sampson also assisted with the management of football camps at both institutions. He also worked closely with communications department to shape the brand and messages being presented by the program to local, regional and national media members.
Efforts at Purdue in a team operations and administrative role helped guide the Boilermakers into one of the nation’s most impressive attendance turnarounds. From 2016 to 2018, Purdue football had its home attendance grow nearly 50 percent, the best mark in the nation - from 34,451 to 51,120. Purdue was the only school to see its average increase by 3,000 fans from both 2016 to 2017 (nation-best 13,433) and from 2017 to 2018 (3,236). In 2017, the Boilermakers attracted two capacity crowds of 60,716 at Ross-Ade Stadium - for the Ohio State and Iowa games - a first since 2007.
A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Sampson spent the 2015-16 school year at TCU, working in the media relations office with the women's basketball and football programs. During a prior three-year stint in WKU's media relations office from 2012 to 2015, Sampson helped reenergize the image of the women's basketball program, promoting four All-American selections and seven conference player or coach of the year honorees. The Lady Toppers won two conference tournament championships, made two NCAA Tournament appearances and earned the program's first Associated Press ranking since the 1997-98 season. Sampson also worked closely with the football program under the direction of head coaches Bobby Petrino and Brohm.
Sampson earned a bachelor's degree in integrated strategic communications with a minor in communications from the University of Kentucky in 2009. While at Kentucky, he worked with the media relations office, as a manager for the women's basketball team in 2006-07 and as a staff assistant for the men's basketball team in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Sampson earned a master's degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2011 and worked for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association and the Louisville Sports Commission's Paul Hornung Award.
Sampson also spent time growing the brand of athletics at Louisville's Trinity High School on a national level. Under the guidance of head coach Mike Szabo, Sampson played a key role in establishing the Trinity boys' basketball program as a state power, national name and eventually helping the school claim the 2012 KHSAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. His work with the school's football program resulted in "Sports Illustrated," Scout.com and Rivals naming the team national champions in 2011. His efforts in promoting quarterback Brian Brohm in 2004 saw the Louisville native earn national offensive player of the year honors from "USA Today."