Kentucky's new AD will have two titles: CEO of Champions Blue LLC and Athletic Direct

[Matt Dillon]

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

[UKHoops01]

Sounds like there's going to be a bit of a conflict of interest. We (the fans) most likely will want the new ATHLETICS Director to concentrate on (surprise, surprise) "athletics". BUT....it sounds like the new AD will be stretched a little more thin and have more hats to wear concentrating on things that are entirely NOT sports related. Typical of colleges and universities these days.

[WeWant9]

Sounds like there's going to be a bit of a conflict of interest. We (the fans) most likely will want the new ATHLETICS Director to concentrate on (surprise, surprise) "athletics". BUT....it sounds like the new AD will be stretched a little more thin and have more hats to wear concentrating on things that are entirely NOT sports related. Typical of colleges and universities these days.

I had similar thoughts, especially after reading Capilouto's quotes. Really hope the next AD is an outsider who can come in and shake things up. Personally, I do not want to see UK and UK athletics continue with a "business as usual" approach, feels like a lot of what we have done recently is stale.

[bthaunert]

I like that it's going to be one person. I never thought having two people report to the president that having that big of an impact on the athletic department was a great idea. There has to be on person that oversees the day to day operations and the financial aspect imo. It would have been a nightmare otherwise.

[EKYCat]

I want Jeremiah Dickey from Boise State. But sounds like this is going to be someone from the private sector.

[Trueblujr]

Sounds like there's going to be a bit of a conflict of interest. We (the fans) most likely will want the new ATHLETICS Director to concentrate on (surprise, surprise) "athletics". BUT....it sounds like the new AD will be stretched a little more thin and have more hats to wear concentrating on things that are entirely NOT sports related. Typical of colleges and universities these days.

Well, I have to think in this day and age of College Athletics, the day to day running and managing of the various sports is probably going to fall on the people the new AD hires under him so he can focus more on the fundraising and financial aspects, in regards to NIL and the business associated with all of that.

[Trueblujr]

I want Jeremiah Dickey from Boise State. But sounds like this is going to be someone from the private sector.

I don't know much about him. What makes him an appealing candidate?

[EKYCat]

I don't know much about him. What makes him an appealing candidate?

He's young (early 40s), and was named AD of the year in 2025. He also was at the helm when Boise State reached the college football playoff in 2024.

[UKHoops01]

I don't really have a dog in this hunt, but I think my initial choice would be Greg Byrne, the current AD at the University of Alabama. He hired Nate Oats, who has turned Alabama into a respected basketball program and made Alabama more than just a football powerhouse. Byrne has ties to Kentucky, since he was previously the Associate Athletic Director at UK in the early 2000s. He is 54, so he's far from old and has a proven track record of being an AD at a high profile university.

[EKYCat]

I don't really have a dog in this hunt, but I think my initial choice would be Greg Byrne, the current AD at the University of Alabama. He hired Nate Oats, who has turned Alabama into a respected basketball program and made Alabama more than just a football powerhouse. Byrne has ties to Kentucky, since he was previously the Associate Athletic Director at UK in the early 2000s. He is 54, so he's far from old and has a proven track record of being an AD at a high profile university.

I still don’t know why he’d leave Alabama for UK. Final Four caliber basketball program and a perennial football power. What’s the draw for him to leave there to come here?

[UKHoops01]

I still don’t know why he’d leave Alabama for UK. Final Four caliber basketball program and a perennial football power. What’s the draw for him to leave there to come here?

Money? A new challenge? Perhaps he has close ties to the state of Kentucky and has family in the area? Maybe he doesn't have the greatest relationship with some of the movers and shakers and higher ups at Alabama. Who knows. I'm not saying he would take the job if offered the position, but I certainly wouldn't let the fear of him turning me down keep me from exploring that possibility (did you hear that, Mitch Barnhardt???)