Alicia Mullin

Chief Business Officer at The ACL (American Cornhole League)

“Thank you, Alicia Mullin, for such a bold, fun, and refreshingly real perspective on leadership in sports. Your journey—from Medieval & Renaissance Literature to Chief Business Officer—is proof that passion, communication, and curiosity are career powerhouses.

Your insights on being heard, setting boundaries, and embracing emotion as strength are especially empowering. We love your advice about broadcasting your ambitions and putting in the hard work. And yes—those “Alicia Rants” absolutely deserve their own podcast.

Thank you for leading with humor, honesty, and purpose.” – Zara Halabu

Please describe your role and responsibilities at that position?

As CBO, I oversee marketing, content, technology, and company culture.

What did you study in college and how did your educational background shape your career in the sports industry?

I majored in Medieval & Renaissance Literature at Brown University, and I love telling younger people that for a few reasons:

1) I majored in that because it’s what I loved, and I think sometimes people overthink their major rather than just leaning into their passions.

2) English Literature will always be a good subject area to focus on because being able to write is absolutely critical to your career in any field. Having proper grammar and the ability to get your point across in writing will take you far.

All that said, I knew I wanted to be in sports or journalism, so I focused on those areas in my extracurriculars at Brown. I was Sports Editor at the Brown Daily Herald, and I worked at a radio station as a deejay and sportscaster.

Can you share the key milestones in your career that led you to your current position in the sports industry?

Networking! I worked at MLB for 15 years, and met a lot of wonderful people there. When I was looking for my next opportunity, two of my former MLB colleagues helped me find great roles that ultimately led me to where I am today.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in the sports business, and how have you overcome them?

As a woman in sports — and a woman in business in general — my biggest challenges have been being heard and overcoming the label of “emotional.”

In terms of being heard, it’s important that we just keep trying, keep giving ideas, and find allies who will support us when we’re being talked over.

For that “emotional” label, I believe that my passion and empathy are strengths, not weaknesses. I have used those traits to connect more deeply with my colleagues and employees, and I believe it’s part of what sets me apart.

So, overall, be who you are!

Balancing a career is demanding. How do you manage a work -life balance? What strategies have worked well for you?

I am big on boundaries, but those boundaries do need to be earned. Working in sports isn’t just a standard 9-to-5, so I do need to be flexible when work needs to get done.

My strategies are basically:

– Communicate your boundaries and stick to them (keep your calendar up to date, put your slack notifications on a timer).

– Put an escalation process in place should something urgent come up in your off time. For me, when I’m off, I will not respond to email, slack, or text. If something is really urgent, call me.

How important is mentorship for women in the sports industry? Have you had mentors or role models who played a significant role in your career and can give some details?

I think mentorship and female fellowship is incredibly important for women in business. I have a mentor (not in my industry), a group of former colleagues in sports business who connect on text, and a more formal group of women executives I video chat with monthly via Chief.

In a male-dominated industry, do you feel women are given equal opportunities? What steps do you think can be taken to promote gender equality in the sports industry?

Quite honestly, I do not feel that women are given the same opportunities as men, but we’re getting there! Part of what excites me about getting older and further on in my career is that I can in turn boost and be an advocate to younger women to ensure that changes.

What aspects of your work in the sports industry do you enjoy the most? What parts do you find the most challenging?

What I enjoy most is the people. In my experience, people who love sports happen to generally be extremely hard-working and quintessential team players. I’ve met some of my very best friends in this industry.

The most challenging thing is probably the hours, since sports happen in the evenings, on weekends, etc. But it’s been more than worth it for me!

What advice do you have for young women aspiring to build a successful career in the sports industry?

My advice is:

1) Let people in your orbit know what you want to do. This will keep you top-of-mind when opportunities come up. Sometimes it’s hard to be bold and say “I want to do marketing at the WNBA,” but the more you let people know, the better the chances are that you’ll get connected to an opportunity that matches your goals.

2) Work hard. It should go without saying, but I’m saying it anyway. When you’re starting out, you should be a sponge and really try to take on whatever new responsibilities you can.

Any fun facts or interesting things you’d like the world to learn about you? Favorite food, hobbies, pet peeves, etc.?

I love a fun fact! Here are some of mine:

– I have 3 nephews who are the BEST people in the world (in my humble opinion).

– I only have half a spleen (!!).

– I am obsessed with the New York Times Crossword Puzzle and do it every day.

– I entertain my friends with “Alicia Rants,” which is when I pick an inane topic and complain about it for fun. Top hits are: The Chick-fil-A cow, Jack-and-Jill bathrooms, and TVs that are mounted too high.