Inside the Academy Sports + Outdoors Brand Playbook: Winning Fans, Loyalty, and the World’s Biggest Stage
In this sporty session, you’ll get an inside look at how one of Houston’s most recognizable brands is evolving its marketing strategy to win customers, build loyalty, and show up on the world’s biggest stage.
Join three key decision-makers from Academy Sports + Outdoors as they share how their teams are working together to refine the company’s approach to customer insights, strengthening brand partnerships, and preparing for a global moment as Houston hosts one of the largest sporting events in the world.
What You’ll Learn
- How Academy identifies and activates its ideal customer profiles across a broad and diverse audience
- The strategy behind launching and scaling a successful customer loyalty program
- What it takes to build impactful brand partnerships, including collaboration with Whataburger
- How a major retailer prepares its brand and marketing strategy for a global event hosted in its home city
Key Takeaways
By the end of this session, you will have a clearer understanding of how to translate customer insights into actionable marketing strategies, build programs that drive long-term loyalty, and create partnerships that extend your brand’s reach.
Speakers
Haley Arismendi
Director of Customer Loyalty, Academy
Haley is the Director of Customer Loyalty at Academy Sports + Outdoors, leading the company’s Loyalty, Credit, and Gift Card programs and recently launching the new myAcademy Rewards program and co‑branded credit card. She brings deep expertise in acquisition and retention marketing, with a strong ability to translate complex systems into scalable solutions. Before joining Academy, Haley held roles in merchandising, financial planning, and go‑to‑market strategy at Walmart’s Home Office in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Dylan Frederick
Brand Marketing Director, Academy
Dylan serves as Director of Brand Marketing at Academy Sports + Outdoors, where he leads brand, multicultural, social, and private label marketing. He translates customer insights into integrated strategies that drive customer growth, engagement, and long-term brand affinity. Since joining Academy in 2017, Dylan has held roles across go-to-market strategy, brand content, and ambassador marketing. Prior to Academy, he spent nearly 10 years at full-service advertising agencies working with brands including The Home Depot, ASICS, El Pollo Loco, and Taylor Guitars.
Mikayla Batista
Director of Insights, Academy
Mikayla is the Director of Insights at Academy Sports + Outdoors, where she leads customer insights, competitive intelligence, and measurement to help drive strategic marketing and business decisions. Over her nearly decade-long career at Academy, Mikayla has held roles across customer insights and media strategy, giving her a unique end-to-end perspective on how data informs marketing, growth, and customer experience. She is passionate about turning research into action and building insight capabilities that help organizations make smarter, more customer-centric decisions.
WHEN:
April 15, 2026
11:30 am- 12:00 pm Networking
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Luncheon
WHERE:
United Way of Greater Houston
50 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX, 77007
PARKING:
Free Parking Available –
ADA Accessible Parking is in the covered garage, take the elevator down to the ground floor
PRICING:
Early Bird Pricing Ends April 3
AMA Member: $40 / $50 after Early Bird
Non-Member: $50 / $70 after Early Bird
Student: $30 / $30 after Early Bird
We would like to thank Winfield’s Chocolate Bar as the Presenting Sponsor of this month’s AMA Houston Luncheon!
