PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers Athletics has announced the addition of two roles to support its Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) infrastructure.
Chris Chung was appointed Senior Associate Athletic Director, Revenue and Contract Management, while PJ Mullen has been elevated to Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director, Marketing, Fan Experience and Brand Strategy.
These newly created roles will enhance the department's growing efforts in supporting student-athletes through NIL and revenue share opportunities.
"Chris has played a key role for the department in managing revenue share agreements and we are excited to bring him on board in such an important role at this pivotal moment for Rutgers," said Athletics Director
Keli Zinn. "His combination of legal acumen and business strategy is a major strength and will prove vital for our continued work to recruit and retain the best talent in the country."
"PJ's track record of building innovative marketing strategies and expertise in brand development will be instrumental in our NIL strategy," said Zinn. "He has demonstrated the creativity, work ethic and forward thinking necessary to lead in our rapidly evolving world of college sports. This promotion reflects the tremendous impact he's already had and our confidence in his vision moving forward. "
In his role, Chung will manage institutional NIL agreements and lead contract negotiations while also serving as a liaison for external NIL opportunities, ensuring seamless process development. He will oversee the cap management system and clearinghouse reporting to ensure compliance with allocated funds and NIL governance. Chung will also model and forecast both short and long-term projections for revenue distributions.
Chung joins Rutgers Athletics on a full-time basis after serving as a contract attorney to the department, where he drafted, structured and negotiated revenue share agreements. He also advised on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compliance and collaborated on internal policies to govern revenue share agreements.
"I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue working alongside Keli and the Rutgers Athletics teams," said Chung. "It has been a privilege to support our student-athletes, coaches and staff as they navigate the evolving collegiate sports landscape. This is a defining moment to be joining Rutgers Athletics and I couldn't be more excited to help build something special 'On the Banks.'"
Previously, Chung worked as a corporate associate at Polsinelli PC, where he advised major clients across sports and entertainment. His portfolio included supporting the Big 12 Conference through its commissioner search and realignment efforts, counseling the Kansas City Chiefs on partnership agreements and assisting Cleveland Pro Soccer with its expansion to MLS Next Pro. He also provided strategic guidance on media rights, conference-wide governance and expansion agreements for several collegiate conferences.
Prior to his time at Polsinelli, Chung worked as a corporate associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, the world's highest-grossing law firm, where he advised private equity sponsors on mergers and acquisitions and debt financing transactions mainly in the tech industry.
Chung earned three degrees from the University of Notre Dame. He completed his undergraduate degree in sociology and pre-medicine before earning both his Juris Doctor and MBA in South Bend.
In his expanded role, Mullen will lead Rutgers Athletics' NIL branding strategy with a focus on advertising and promotion that elevates student-athlete visibility, enhances fan engagement, and drives NIL opportunities. Mullen will work to amplify strategic partnerships and campaigns designed to expand student-athlete brand value.
"There's nowhere else my family and I would rather be than at Rutgers, especially under Keli's leadership," said Mullen. "I'm incredibly grateful for her belief in our vision and the opportunity to keep building on what makes this place so special. This journey started with Coach Schiano and his staff believing in what we could bring to enhance The Rutgers Game Day Experience, and now we have an opportunity to carry that same energy and momentum into the strategy behind R NIL by making a meaningful and measurable impact. New Jersey Loud, Rutgers Proud."
Mullen joined Rutgers Athletics in 2021 and has been instrumental in transforming The Rutgers Game Day Experience. He oversees the marketing, game presentation and fan experience staff for all 24 sports. He and his team serve as the department leads for the spirit and mascot squads, as well as The Marching Scarlet Knights. Mullen also assists with men's basketball sports administrator duties.
Under his leadership, Rutgers launched
The Rutgers Boardwalk and The Rutgers Winter Village, signature experiences that have redefined fan engagement and become hallmarks of the Scarlet Knights' home game atmosphere.
The Rutgers Blackout Game Day Experience has entered a new era, earning national recognition for its energy, creativity, and fan engagement.
Before arriving 'On the Banks,' Mullen served as Penn State's Director of Marketing for nearly five years, directing and producing football gamedays at Beaver Stadium and overseeing marketing and fan experience efforts for football and men's basketball. Mullen got his start in athletics as a member of the Penn State Football administration under Head Coach James Franklin, serving as Director of Player Development and Community Relations. In that role, he was heavily involved with on-campus recruiting visits, student-athlete life off the field, and the game day experience. He also served as an adjunct professor for Penn State's College of Communications and spent more than a decade in radio as an on-air talent, program director, and national talk-show producer.
In addition to his Rutgers duties, Mullen contributes to the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles live gameday production teams.
A native of Media, Pennsylvania, Mullen graduated from Penn State with a bachelor's degree in communications in 2007 and lives in South Jersey with his wife, Alex, their two kids and dog.
