Simon Pflum Press Release

THE KINGDOM NAMES SIMON PFLUM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Orlando, October 29, 2024 – The Kingdom NIL has named Simon Pflum its new executive director. Pflum previously served as director of athlete management for the organization that is the official name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective for University of Central Florida Athletics. Pflum replaces SJ Tuohy who was hired as the deputy director of athletics for Oral Roberts University.

“I am extremely excited to continue to support UCF’s hard-working student-athletes,” said Pflum. “The ongoing support from our donors and business partners makes a direct and lasting impact in our athlete’s lives and I am proud to play a role in that relationship.”

Before joining The Kingdom in January 2023, Pflum worked as the assistant director of operations and special assistant to the head coach for the UCF Knights football team. Prior to that he worked as a football operations assistant for the University of Arkansas.

“The Kingdom will forever be grateful to SJ and all he did to establish a solid foundation on which we can continue to build,” said The Kingdom NIL, LLC founder and current board member Tom McNamara. “Now, more than ever, The Kingdom’s outreach and fundraising are critical to ensuring continued competitive success for the Knights. I am confident Simon will be an exceptional steward as the collective continues to navigate the national NIL landscape and meets potential transitions.”

Pflum holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas where he worked as an undergraduate student assistant with the Football Operations, Recruiting, and Video departments. He earned a master's degree in executive leadership from Liberty University. He assumes The Kingdom executive director role immediately.

Tuohy served as the first executive director of The Kingdom. His professional background in college athletics, including stints at the Southern Methodist University, University of Arkansas, Liberty University, and UCF, as well as a student athlete (basketball/football) at Loyola University Maryland and SMU, provided him with the optimal experience to lead The Kingdom. During his tenure, The Kingdom has successfully negotiated more than 750 NIL opportunities worth more than $10 million for UCF student-athletes.

“I have been continually impressed with SJ’s vision and leadership as he brought structure to the ‘wild wild west’ of NCAA NIL to build The Kingdom,” said The Kingdom board member Kevin Wydra. “His passion for college athletics and his drive to help UCF student-athletes succeed has been inspiring.”

About The Kingdom NIL:

The Kingdom NIL is the official name, image, and likeness collective for University of Central Florida Athletics working to enrich, enhance, and empower the lives of UCF student-athletes. The Kingdom is a proud member of The Collective Association (TCA) which advocates for college athletes’ rights to monetize their name, image, and likeness without undue restriction or interference, while sharing common sense reforms and best practices that promote a sustainable model available for future collegiate athletes.