Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with JJ Zykan (StrComm‘21)
For Forever Buff JJ Zykan, a career in sports has moved about as fast as a puck on the ice.
Wrapping up her fifth season with the Colorado Avalanche, JJ is a senior content strategist, leading the team social media strategy and campaigns across multiple platforms like Instagram, Facebook and X. During the 2025-26 season, the Avalanche generated the most social media value in the National Hockey League (NHL), totaling $27.2 million, according to
Her experiences at ϾƷ, both in and out of the classroom, shaped her path. JJ graduated in 2021 with a BA in strategic communications and double minors in business analytics and sports media. As a student, she immersed herself in campus life and gained hands-on experience through opportunities that served as stepping stones to her career.
Among her favorite experiences covering football and basketball games, she credits the guidance of Jessica Baumgarten and the Business of Sports Program for helping develop her skills and preparing her for future success.
Did you ever have an “I’ve made it” moment at the beginning of your sports career?
My “I’ve made it" moment was during the Stanley Cup parade in 2022. I had just completed my first full season with the organization and felt immense pride in the work we, as a social media team, accomplished during that run.
How does the Avalanche 2026 playoff run differ from the regular season? How does your day-to-day role change?
The playoffs bring a lot more eyes to the channels we run and with that comes added pressure to produce fresh content for our current fans and new ones! My day-to-day is different, especially with a seven-game series and not picking up and flying to the next city after each game, as well as keeping content surrounding the same opponent fresh and exciting.
As senior content strategist for the Avs, what does this season social media engagement success as the highest in the NHL mean to you?
It was a huge honor to be recognized by the ! As a social team, we focus on the added value we can bring to the organization through our online fan engagement. To see the work we did directly relate to impressions and engagement of such high value reaffirms our strategy and makes us excited for the future.
What do you like most about working in social media and digital marketing? And what is challenging about it?
I like that no day is the same! There is always something new and exciting happening in the world of social media and that ensures there never a boring day. That can also bring a challenge of coming up with new and innovative ideas that stay with the times and don’t feel redundant.
Is there any behind-the-scenes information from your time in the sports industry that Buff fans might find surprising?
What surprised me when I first started was simply the amount of manpower that goes into putting on each game throughout the season. There is a whole team behind the team on the ice that puts in countless hours of work each season to make the gameday experience seamless for the fan experience.
If you could do your job for any other professional sport, what would it be?
CU football will always have my heart, but after spending 5 years in pro sports, I think Formula 1 does a really great job at social media and would be a great league to be in. Or the Masters. Go look at their social media, it rocks!
What does it mean to you to be a Forever Buff?
Having pride in having attended CU and always feeling connected to the university. I can be in a different city and see someone with a CU hat on and instantly feel a connection to them! I continue to stay involved at CU, coming back to guest lecture for the Business of Sports Program each summer.
