Dan Ryan named director of communications for AIFL
Published on September 2, 2005 under American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) News Release
American Indoor Football League President Andrew Haines announced today that Dan Ryan has been named Director of Communications.
Ryan brings over 20 years of sports communications experience to the AIFL as a sportswriter, team communications director, on-air talent and internet content producer.
"Our communications efforts just got dramatically better with the addition of Dan to our ranks,'' Haines. "He knows how to get the job done and he knows the people to make that possible."
In the spirit of cooperation, Ryan's duties will coincide with those he has as the Director of Communications for the Daytona Beach Thunder, one of the AIFL's expansion teams for the 2006.
"What benefits the AIFL will benefit the Thunder as well,'' said Thunder CEO Zack McDonald. "Dan has the talent and resources to pull this off."
"I'm very intrigued by the dynamic of league-wide communications and thankful that Andrew will let me tackle that this season,'' Ryan said. "It's a very good time to join this league and I'm interested to see where the journey takes us."
The 40-year old New Smyrna Beach native is an accomplished freelance writer, with bylines appearing in the Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Orlando Sentinel, Sportsview Magazine, the Washington Post, USA Today and many more. He has carved a niche with indoor football, covering the Orlando Predators and Tampa Bay Storm for 12 years and over 150 games. He has covered four ArenaBowls and became one of arenafan.com's most acerbic columnists four years ago.
He covered the Orlando Magic for three years, including the 1992 NBA All Star game as well as the WNBA's Orlando Miracle and numerous events at Daytona International Speedway. His 1998 Daytona 500 sidebar for the Daytona Beach News-Journal on the driver reaction to Dale Earnhardt's long-awaited victory garnered the attention of NASCAR President Bill France Jr., who mentioned the article the following day on an ESPN interview.
He currently serves as the host of the pre-game show for the radio broadcasts of Bethune-Cookman College football, where he also coordinates the online gameday internet coverage. He was a former assistant sports information director while a B-CC student from 1991-1994.
During the day, he is a public relations specialist in the College's Office of Public Relations. Since joining the Public Relations staff, Ryan has assisted in creating the office's internet presence while working on media campaigns announcing the College's economic impact, the opening of the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center, the retirement of President Dr. Oswald P. Bronson and the inauguration of current President Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed combined with the unveiling of the 12-foot bronze statue of Dr. Bethune, the College founder. He provided media support during the hurricane crisis of 2004 and is currently handling publicity efforts for a $13 million major gifts initiative to build a football training center on the campus.
In addition to working several NCAA regional basketball tournaments and college bowl games, Ryan has assisted with media relations for the Daytona Beach Hooters of the United States Basketball League and the Orlando Starz/Mayhem of the Independent Women's Football League, helping 70-year old defensive back Charlotte Chambers garner worldwide attention as the "Gridiron Granny." For two seasons, he was a sideline reporter for WNDB's Friday night broadcasts of high school football in Daytona Beach.
He served six years at the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the final three as Director of Internet Services. He oversaw the development and day-to-day operations of http://www.DaytonaBeach.com, the area's official visitor information site that garnered an International Web Page Award creative excellence distinction as well as being voted one of the nation's top ten destination websites by e-travelplan.com. He also served as Film Commissioner for Volusia County, facilitating the Academy Award nominated Marvin's Room starring Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton as well as a pilot by the producers of Baywatch. His work in landing those projects as well as hosting the state Film Commissioner's Conference resulted in him being named one of Volusia County's leading activists in 1998 by the Orlando Sentinel.
Last season, Ryan served as Director of Communications for the Daytona Beach National Indoor Football League franchise. During his tenure, the team's website offered the league's most comprehensive gameday coverage and made innovative use of technology. He also hosted the weekly coaches' show and coordinated the unique "free funeral" promotion at the team's home finale that generated significant media play.
He and his wife Linda, have two children, Jade and Sean.
American Indoor Football Association Stories from September 2, 2005
- Renegades Make A League Move - Rome Renegades
- Dan Ryan named director of communications for AIFL - AIFA
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