It’s been almost three months since news broke that Mitch Barnhart is retiring as Kentucky’s athletic director, effective June 30. Today, we found out that his successor won’t have just one title, but two, to reflect the changing landscape of college sports.
University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto announced this morning that the new leader of UK Athletics will be both the Chief Executive Officer of Champions Blue, LLC and Athletics Director. Champions Blue is the holding company that the department moved to last year to give itself more flexibility and ability to generate revenue. The CEO and Athletics Director will report directly to the UK President and work closely with other university units, such as Student Success, Information and Technology Services, Marketing and Strategic Communication, and Philanthropy, to achieve unit and institutional goals.
“College athletics is always changing, but that change now is occurring more rapidly and with greater financial impacts than ever before,” Capilouto said in a press release. “The leadership role must change and adapt as well. Putting the success of our students first remains a priority. Winning championships remains critically important — but, so too, is the financial and commercial acumen to generate more revenue, manage expenses more tightly and align even more with our institutional mission to advance the state.”
Since Barnhart’s retirement announcement, Capilouto has interviewed over 80 people about the role, including coaches and senior staff at UK, as well as donors, supporters, and leaders in the business of sports across the country. With that listening tour now complete, Capilouto says he is looking at both sitting college athletic directors and people with varied backgrounds in pro sports and business as candidates to have a successor in place by June 30, Barnhart’s last day. One month ago, KSR+’s Justin Rowland reported that Boise State athletic director Jeremiah Dickey was a candidate, the only external name we’ve heard mentioned for the role so far.
Kentucky's new AD will have two titles: CEO of Champions Blue LLC and Athletic Director
University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto announced this morning that the new leader of UK Athletics will be both the Chief Executive Officer of Champions Blue, LLC and Athletics Director. Champions Blue is the holding company that the department moved to last year to give itself more flexibility and ability to generate revenue. The CEO and Athletics Director will report directly to the UK President and work closely with other university units, such as Student Success, Information and Technology Services, Marketing and Strategic Communication, and Philanthropy, to achieve unit and institutional goals.
“College athletics is always changing, but that change now is occurring more rapidly and with greater financial impacts than ever before,” Capilouto said in a press release. “The leadership role must change and adapt as well. Putting the success of our students first remains a priority. Winning championships remains critically important — but, so too, is the financial and commercial acumen to generate more revenue, manage expenses more tightly and align even more with our institutional mission to advance the state.”
Since Barnhart’s retirement announcement, Capilouto has interviewed over 80 people about the role, including coaches and senior staff at UK, as well as donors, supporters, and leaders in the business of sports across the country. With that listening tour now complete, Capilouto says he is looking at both sitting college athletic directors and people with varied backgrounds in pro sports and business as candidates to have a successor in place by June 30, Barnhart’s last day. One month ago, KSR+’s Justin Rowland reported that Boise State athletic director Jeremiah Dickey was a candidate, the only external name we’ve heard mentioned for the role so far.
Kentucky's new AD will have two titles: CEO of Champions Blue LLC and Athletic Director
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