College Administrations Embrace Pro Sports Executives: Insight into the Shift in College Leadership
Collegiate Athletics Undergoes Major Transformation: Pro Sports Executives Take the Helm
In the past year, a significant shift took place in the world of US college athletics, surpassing the long-anticipated House settlement. This shift isn't just about millionaire student-athletes capitalizing on their NIL endorsements; it goes far deeper.
We're talking about university presidents recruiting seasoned business experts to spearhead the fundraising efforts that keep their institutions competitive in the escalating arms race known as college sports.
Gone are the days when athletic directors climbed the ranks at smaller colleges to earn their seats at the big leagues. Increasingly, colleges are turning their gaze beyond traditional channels, seeking talent from the professional sports world.
Once-rare hires like John Wildhack (former ESPN executive) at Syracuse or Dave Brandon (former Dominos CEO) at Michigan, now feel less like outliers than a clear shift in leadership.
Universities recognize that the skills required to lead in college sports can no longer be found exclusively within the NCAA system. Today, they're looking for change agents.
Enter Jim Smith (former Braves and Falcons exec) at Maryland, Andrew Luck (NFL alum) at Stanford, and Pete Bevacqua (NBC Sports) at Notre Dame. These aren't ordinary hires; they represent a redefinition of college sports leadership.
The job once handled by career college administrators now calls for a pro sports CEO-like skillset, with added academic and public scrutiny layers. It's a role that requires ready-made connections with sponsors, broadcasters, leagues, and investors.
Transitioning from a simple budget juggler to a complex decision-maker, today's athletic directors manage multi-million-dollar ecosystems, overseeing compliance, managing media situations, and supporting students' academic development.
However, the modern athletic director's responsibilities stretch far beyond these traditional duties. Today, they oversee a dynamic mix of issues such as the House settlement, Title IX, NIL deals, athlete branding, and mental health support, to name a few.
In the fast-paced world of college sports, universities need more than administrators; they need leaders who can deliver results in a competitive, high-pressure environment. Enter the pros.
Experienced sports professionals bring a wealth of knowledge on capital allocation, infrastructure development, risk management, lawsuit navigation, and crisis management. They've led teams through expansion, stadium construction, and rebranding for national audiences.
When scandal hits - a common reality in college and professional sports alike - established reputations are on the line. Veteran administrators have managed player misconduct, labor disputes, agent demands, and high-stakes PR battles. This kind of experience is increasingly valuable in college sports, with its unique challenges and heightened public scrutiny.
In the world of college sports, expert storytellers and dealmakers are as essential as compliance experts. The new order demands leaders who can create compelling narratives around their programs and position them as competitive brands in a saturated sports-entertainment market.
Hiring someone from the NFL, MLB, or the PGA isn't just a choice; it's a statement. It signals a university president's intent to treat athletics as a strategic asset, signaling to donors, fans, and recruits that they're serious about winning - on the field and in the boardroom. It also makes clear that academics are no longer the primary selling point for recruits; money now holds that spot.
This trend goes beyond hiring fads; it's a structural shift. The old guard of compliance experts, internal lifers, and seasoned NCAA insiders still matter. But they're now part of a broader leadership mix that includes dealmakers, visual storytellers, and strategists.
NIL and the transfer portal have turned college athletics into a professional enterprise. The recent $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement, now finalized, blurs the line between amateur and pro sport by allowing schools to directly compensate athletes. College athletics, once a sideline, has now become a battleground for media rights, legal reform, and market influence.
Universities understand the earthquake underfoot, and most are adapting accordingly by recruiting leadership seasoned enough to navigate ambiguity, build enterprise value, and balance highly scrutinized performance with mission.
The new athletic directors won't just manage a collection of intercollegiate teams; they'll shape an industry's next era.
John Cairney is the head of the University of Queensland's School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences and the deputy executive director for the Office of 2032 Games Engagement. He also serves as the Director of the Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies. Rick Burton is the David B. Falk Emeritus Professor of Sport Management at Syracuse University and a co-author of The Rise of Major League Soccer (Lyons Press, 2025).
Footnote:The shift towards hiring professionals from the professional sports world can provide universities with valuable strategic, financial, and leadership expertise. This adjustment is essential to thrive in the rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape.
Related Story
The Evolution of College Sports: Navigating the Impact of Title IX, NIL, and Transfer Portals
Source: ESPN
Interesting Fact: In 2021, the NCAA passed a historic rule reform to allow student-athletes to benefit from their NIL, opening the door for direct compensation for their name, image, and likeness
- The shifting landscape of US college athletics has emphasized the importance of acquiring expertise in naming rights, media rights, and endorsements, as universities aim to compete in the increasingly competitive environment of sports finance.
- In their pursuit of seasoned professionals, colleges have started recruiting executives from the media industry, such as Jim Smith at Maryland and Pete Bevacqua at Notre Dame, in a bid to redefine college sports leadership.
- As the roles and responsibilities of athletic directors have evolved, they now require an extensive skillset that includes business acumen, leadership capabilities, and a keen understanding of analytics to oversee a dynamic mix of issues such as NIL deals, athlete branding, and mental health support.
- By hiring experts from the professional sports world, universities are signaling their intention to treat athletics as strategic assets and focusing on winning in both the field and the boardroom, reflecting the growing importance of finance, leadership, and business in college sports.
