Press release · October 5, 2026 · For immediate release
TapNPay+ Names Former Robert Morris Athletic Director Chris King Strategic Advisor
King joins the TapNPay+ Advisory Board to guide institutional strategy, conference partnerships and revenue intelligence across college athletics
PITTSBURGH, October 5, 2026: TapNPay+, the fan payment platform built on the idea of "The Way Fans Pay," today announced that Chris King, former Vice President & Director of Athletics at Robert Morris University and founder and CEO of CK1 LLC, has joined the company as Strategic Advisor and member of its Advisory Board.
King brings 30 years of Division I athletics executive experience, including 17 years as a Division I Director of Athletics, and is a two-time NACDA Athletic Director of the Year. He has a firsthand understanding of how athletic departments and conferences make decisions: who owns the budget, what has to align internally before a new program launches, and what senior leaders need to see before they commit. In his advisory role, King will advise TapNPay+ leadership on college athletics leadership, institutional strategy, conference partnerships, revenue intelligence and institutional readiness.
"Chris has sat in the chair our partners sit in," said Michael Thomas, Founder and CEO of TapNPay+. "He knows what an athletic director is up against, from budgets and staffing to competing priorities, and what it takes for something new to actually get adopted on campus. His judgment makes us sharper with every institution we work with, and his voice carries weight with the leaders we want to serve."
"Every athletic director and conference leader I talk to is searching for sustainable revenue that doesn't rely on asking donors and fans for another direct check," said King. "TapNPay+ solves that friction by turning everyday spending fans are already doing into continuous financial support for the programs they care about. I'm excited to help institutions and conferences deploy this technology to unlock significant, non-traditional revenue."
TapNPay+ lets fans pay for everyday purchases while generating cash back that supports the teams and programs they cheer for. The company works with high schools, colleges, conferences and community programs to build fan-powered revenue without traditional fundraising campaigns.
About TapNPay+
TapNPay+ ("The Way Fans Pay") is a fan payment platform that turns everyday fan spending into cash back for the teams and programs fans support. Founded in 2019 and based in the Pittsburgh area, TapNPay+ is building toward a mobile fan wallet that lets fans pay anywhere and fuel the team they cheer for. Learn more at tapnpayplus.com.
About CK1 LLC
The new era of sports demands a new operating model. CK1 LLC partners with collegiate athletic departments, professional sports franchises, and sports business leaders to stabilize operations, unlock revenue, and deploy modern technology frameworks in a complex, data-driven landscape. Founded by Chris King, a 30-year Division I executive, former Division I Director of Athletics, and two-time NACDA Athletic Director of the Year, CK1 delivers operator-led advisory, strategic planning, and AI strategy across three pillars: revenue, operations, and technology. Services include enterprise athletics assessments, revenue generation and capital strategy, fiscal stewardship and operational review, four AI service packages (Strategic Foundation, Governance and Enablement, Implementation and Automation, and the Athletic Department Operating System), institutional alignment, and fractional executive advisory. Learn more at ck1llc.com.
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