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D1.dossiers... New Mexico is hot off the press. D1.dossiers are also ready for the AD openings at Austin Peay, Cal State Bakersfield, Charlotte, Delaware, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, San Francisco, South Carolina State, Southern Utah, Texas Southern, UC Riverside, Wagner and Washington State. Just $349 for an entire year of access to all dossiers. (link)

 

D1.ticker’s Sport Administrator Database... has been updated for Q1 of 2026. More than 80 schools submitted changes in the past few weeks. You'll find every sport administrator assignment at every DI department around the nation for 55 existing & emerging sports. Efficiency play for scheduling, best practices, coaching & staff searches, etc. Free signup & usage. Please reply to this email if your school’s list needs an update. (link) 

After a challenging regular season, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips provides perspective to On3’s Brett McMurphy on the league’s post-season success, led by Miami’s run to the national championship game: “I was happy for Miami being validated. I don’t feel validated because I always believed in my soul — intellectually and in my soul — that they were good enough. That they had performed well enough during the regular season. Yeah, they had a little dip in October, but it is the body of work. … It’s not about other conferences, it’s how we perform. We’re 9-4 (in the bowls), 7-2 vs. Power 4 teams. That’s a pretty emphatic statement about ACC football. When I came (to the ACC) five years ago, that was a point of emphasis. Not at the expense of basketball, but we needed to pay attention and prioritize football. The credit goes to those schools that invested and you can see what’s occurred.” (link)

More from Samford AD/DI Men’s Basketball Committee Vice Chair Martin Newton on his committee experience so far this season. Two key additional topics…

 

➤ On if this is the final year of selecting just 37 at-large teams for the bracket: “I don't know. I mean, I think there's been a lot of really good conversation about that. You try to take the feeling out of it and deal in facts, and so I think there's been some great dialogue, some great conversation, some good debate on whether to expand, whether not to expand. And I think we're still in that process of trying to figure out what is the right thing to do for this tournament. Not what's the most popular thing to do, but what's the right thing to do for this tournament. Again, this is such a unique event. … You've got something that's really good, like really, really good and you don't want to stay at really, really good. you want to go to great. So, what makes the most sense to go to great? Maybe staying where you are makes the most sense, but then again, maybe adding some teams makes sense. I think the debate of really looking into what's right for the tournament in the long haul is the most important thing.” 

 

➤ How the committee blends data and watching games in the selection process: “I think you've got to be consistent as a committee. There's 12 committee members, right? And so, it's not like one committee member or one person is the voice in the room. … The reality of it is our job starts at the beginning of the season as it relates to seeding the teams and putting together the bracket. So, watching those games, understanding the metrics is really important, so that by the time we get in that committee room, most of the heavy lifting has been done and we're prepared for the discussions and the conversations to make sure that we're putting the teams in the right place and selecting the right teams. Each committee member has to be comfortable with what it is they feel are the most important things. You know, for example, I really look at strength-of-schedule. I think that's really important. … Who'd you try to play? Wins Above Bubble again is one of those metrics that I think is really important to look at. I try to take a mix of all of those so that when I'm comparing Team A to Team B, and maybe it's a bubble team, right, that I'm comparing them with the same lens, the same metrics that I would use as I compared teams earlier in the selection process. Watching games is very important as you move into that committee room so that you're prepared to have discussions about teams.”

 

➤ Here’s the full interview with Southern Conference Associate Commissioner for Brand Strategy and Broadcast Dave Friedman. (link)

JohnWallStreet outlines Project Northstar, a donor-led alternative to private equity financing proposed by Emergetic Sports Managing Director Mark Lieberman, designed to help schools close financial gaps without ceding significant control or returns. The model proposes creating specific "NewCos" for revenue-generating sports (e.g., football, men’s basketball, etc.) where donors purchase minority equity stakes, avoiding the high structured returns (12-15% internal rate of return) demanded by private equity. Lieberman argues this approach allows schools to unlock asset value—potentially raising $150M-$200M—while limiting athlete employee classification to specific sports (providing W-2s and 401ks) and using the licensed revenue to fund non-revenue programs. The strategy aims to position conferences to collectively negotiate media rights in the 2030s, potentially driving Power 4 rights revenue from $3.4B to over $10B. Lieberman: “The unlocked value could be used to build stadiums, dormitories, hire more professors, or invest the academic institution in other ways. … We think this is the Goldilocks approach. Schools get the capital they need while maintaining oversight, athletes are paid properly, and donors/investors own a piece of their beloved teams.” (link)

Sportico's Michael McCann goes deeper on the resolved dispute between Washington and QB Demond Williams Jr. McCann notes: “Don’t be surprised to see the Williams situation referenced in Johnson v. NCAA, a lawsuit in which college athletes argue they are employees within the meaning of the FLSA, or in possible employment actions brought on behalf of other athletes.” (link)

The Athletic’s Chris Vannini analyzes how the NFL coaching carousel might impact college football, noting Indiana Football HC Curt Cignetti’s name will likely be at the top of many teams’ wish list. Vannini: “The Raiders have the No. 1 pick, meaning pairing Cignetti and quarterback Fernando Mendoza could be on the table. However, Cignetti’s buyout to leave Indiana in the next year is $15M. … That is a big cost. For some NFL teams, paying a college buyout is a non-starter. … The Raiders are already tens of millions in the hole for having fired head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after one season. Additionally, Cignetti’s new salary at Indiana would rank in the top 10 in the NFL. To hire Cignetti, an NFL team would probably have to commit more than $50M. That is also all under the assumption that the 64-year-old Cignetti would want to coach in the NFL, which we do not know. He has already said he plans to retire at Indiana.” (link)

The General Manager position in college sports has become a lot more prevalent, per Extra Points’ Matt Brown, who analyzes various GM contracts to understand how the role continues to evolve. Highlighting that at least on the college basketball side, most schools in multi-bid leagues have GMs, Brown observes he’s “fairly confident that somebody on staff in leagues where GM roles aren’t as common, like the MAC, MEAC or Sun Belt, is still doing a lot of the day-to-day jobs that college GMs are typically doing … from scouting to contract negotiations to fundraising. But those people are just called assistant coaches or directors of basketball operations or some other title.” Brown alludes to that job title confusion by highlighting examples, including Florida State’s Michael Fly, who is specifically listed as an Asst. Men’s Basketball Coach in his contract. Brown: “I think it speaks to how schools feel differently about the organizational structure of the GM role … who that person should report to and what skills they need to have. … If you see a sport’s GM as functioning primarily in a support role to specifically execute the vision of the head coach, then sure, assistant coach designation makes total sense. … If you see the GM’s role as supporting the department more broadly, or as someone whose opinion shouldn’t be subservient to the head coach, then maybe Asst. AD makes more sense.” More. (link)    

The latest edition of CRO.ticker features a look at how NBA franchises are increasingly focusing on monetizing team-captured video content beyond traditional TV deals, the Portland Trail Blazers’ plan to ask the state legislature to redirect an estimated $20M in annual income tax from players and team employees to support a $600M Moda Center renovation, and ChatGPT’s bumpy start towards personal shopping. There’s also this from Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf on how the company is avoiding pitfalls as it moves into investment banking: "History is littered with companies that have tried to build investment banks and have failed. ... They’ve done it without a real competitive advantage. They’ve done it by hiring the wrong people at the wrong pace and focused on doing the wrong business." Lots more – check it out. (link)

Boise State sent out a tweet Friday afternoon that “ANY and ALL students (college, high school, middle school, elementary school) get a FREE ticket in the Corral Student Section with a valid student ID” ahead of Saturday’s men’s basketball game against Utah State. By Friday evening, the Broncos clarified their position, specifying that the student ID needed to be from a school in Idaho. A large number of Aggies students were already en route for the nearly five-hour trip from Logan, so the USU coaching staff reportedly raised  as much as $3K for the fans to attend the game. (link)

The WNBPA has established global Player Hubs to ensure access to training facilities in the event of a work stoppage. With negotiations reportedly at a standstill over the union's demand for ~30% of league revenue and a $10M+ salary cap, SBJ’s Tom Friend reports the WNBPA secured partnerships with universities like Stanford, Cal, and UNLV, as well as fitness networks like Bay Club and Exos, to provide courts and recovery services. (link)

The NFL’s average attendance number declined in 2025 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, per SBJ’s Ben Fischer and David Broughton, who note the figure dropped 0.8% overall to 69,055, while the leaguewide “percentage of available inventory sold also declined for the second straight season, from 98.3 to 97.6% of capacity.” Despite YoY softness, the NFL attendance numbers still “paint a rosy picture” with average crowd size “still substantially above the lean years of 2017-2019,” while the “overwhelming majority of seats are full” with 12 out of 32 squads selling 100% or more of posted capacity and just three teams (Tennessee Titans - 85.2%; New York Jets - 90.8%; Jacksonville Jaguars - 91%) not filling at least 93% of their seats. According to Fischer and Broughton, “more than two-thirds of the league, 23 teams, saw their home attendance fluctuate by 1% or less in either direction.” Overall, the 272-game average marks the fifth-largest leaguewide figure since SBJ began tracking attendance in 2004, but it’s also the lowest average since 2021.” More. (link) 

Per SI’s Chris Mannix, NCAA President Charlie Baker met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday to discuss challenges with legalized sports gambling, but more notably “the possibility that players with remaining years of college eligibility could petition the NCAA to return to school after they are drafted.” More from Mannix: “Teams are unabashedly enthusiastic about the chance to incubate picks in the college ranks. ‘Draft and stash’ has been a strategy primarily used in Europe, with teams using second-round picks on international players and letting them develop overseas until they are NBA ready. Sending picks back to college—where they can be more closely monitored in familiar systems under coaches NBA executives have relationships with—would significantly enhance the value of the second round.” (link)

The College Sports Commission released updated guidance yesterday focused on MMR-related NIL contracts, as well as its enforcement policy regarding incremental scholarship counting. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger points out some key context: “The CSC has serious concerns about some of the deal terms being contemplated and the consequences of those deals for the parties involved.” Dellenger goes on to provide more commentary from the CSC: “Investigations into unreported third-party NIL deals are progressing and some schools should expect to hear from the CSC next week.” (link - incremental scholarship counting, link - MMR + NIL, link - “Enforcement will be happening”)

Three preseason exhibitions, a foreign tour every year, eliminating the restriction that limits skill-related instruction to four of the eight hours allowed per week & up to six staff members who may contact or evaluate prospective student-athletes off campus, with a limit of four staffers per day. The DI Men’s & Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees proposed these changes to legislation that will be reviewed by the DI Cabinet in April. And, one more specifically for Men’s Basketball, “... proposed allowing prospects to take unofficial visits starting with their freshman year of high school. This aligns men's basketball with the women's recruiting rule in this area.” (link)

Tennessee AD Danny White joined the Higher Ed Athletics podcast to dive into a number of topics including the hot button of collective bargaining in college athletics. On whether more ADs are becoming more receptive to his collective bargaining plan: “I think a lot more people are coming around to it. It's going to be more expensive to do it now than it would have been three or four years ago and it's going to be more expensive to do it a year from now if we don't do it right now. … Hopefully we get some movement, or hopefully I'm wrong and Congress steps in and changes the laws of our country to our benefit. We've been trying for a long time and not only has nothing happened, we've also assumed for a long time that what they do is going to be the healthiest best solution. I would rather us do it ourselves within the laws of our country and make sure that it is a healthy solution that works for all the things that matter to us most to protect the sanctity of college sports. … It's a challenging time to be on campus right now. … We’ve got to find time to come up with an overarching solution. I have been, and will continue to be, willing to give that time because I know how important it is.” (link)

Purdue AD Mike Bobinski believes the Boilermakers have made strategic Football decisions that should better position the program for success, including holding back $6-7M last year that can be put into play for next year’s roster: “Part of that is attributed to what I think was some really intelligent decision-making on their part a year ago, where they chose to not over-invest on what they felt was available at that point in time. They said, ‘You know, we’re gonna make what we believe are the very best decisions we can make,’ and in doing so they were able to reserve a fair amount of resources that we can now apply to this period. So, we’ve really, I think, advanced ourselves through all of that.” Bobinski also commented on rival Indiana’s high-profile gridiron success: “I just think it’s healthy for the environment that other people have opportunities to rise up now in this new world. It’s a good thing. Gives people like us at Purdue an opportunity to believe that, hey, we get our business right, if we recruit the right group of young people, we coach them well, we develop them well, we have every reason to believe that we can find our way into that world, also. And that’s our goal for sure.” (link)

More from Iowa AD Beth Goetz with Chad Leistikow on the Hawk Central Hour podcast. On private equity in college athletics: “I've read articles obviously on Utah's [Otro Capital] deal. Really, the nuance is going to be in the details of what does someone get in return for an investment, right? … There are some of these equity deals that are essentially an investment, and you always want something in return for that investment. Is that a high percentage return over time, more like a high-priced loan? Or is it a capital investment to help you kind of grow a business? And so, I think trying to understand what that is for everyone is really important. And so what is it the partner is providing? What do they want in return and how much control are you giving up, if any, in order to take on those resources? Those are always the questions. And I think whether it's Iowa or the Big Ten, I think this is the time we're going to look at those. I mean, we've heard some private equity pitches, and there's nothing that's been of interest to us as an institution to date. But I think we're not doing our due diligence when you're not considering how to continue to grow what you do.” (link)

The Dickinson Press' Jeff Kolpack details the new contractual reality at North Dakota State, where nearly 80% of football players have signed comprehensive nine-page NIL license agreements tied to funds received from the Green and Gold Fund collective. Bison AD Matt Larsen notes that these contracts—developed in consultation with external Title IX attorneys and the state AG's office—bar athletes from promoting competitors of university sponsors like Under Armour and Scheels, or industries involving gambling and alcohol. Kolpack also notes that 425 student-athletes signed a separate participation and publicity agreement granting promotional rights without compensation. Larsen reflects on the shift: “I don’t know about every school but I think if you’re doing any sort of in-house institutional NIL, these are the types of things you need to do. There are probably varying degrees to how extensive they are. We just felt like we wanted to do it right on the front end.” (link)

New Florida A&M AD John Davis was officially introduced in Tallahassee yesterday where he outlined plans for his “Vision 2030” strategy that will include a 150-day assessment period, followed by phases of stabilization, systemization & transformation. Notably from Davis: “Systems, not personalities, will drive outcomes. …Transformation will be both internal and outwardly facing. Externally, we will strengthen our brand, expand partnerships, and deepen alumni and donor engagement. And we will position this university as a national model among our peers.” Davis also committed to donating $10K per year back to the department: “Leadership is not just about vision. It’s about commitment and leading by example. This is not a gesture, but as a statement of belief in our student-athletes, coaches, and the future that we’re going to build here together.” (link)

Pleased with the cost savings and expanded reach to the industry’s most qualified applicants, Eastern Michigan has renewed its unlimited jobs posting bundle with CollegeSports.jobs. The average Division I school saved $2,170.39 in 2025 by having an unlimited bundle, which includes listing all positions in D1.ticker and/or Coaches.wire. (link)

The Los Angeles Times’ Ben Bolch digs into UCLA Men’s Basketball’s struggling attendance numbers this year. The Bruins’ home average of 5,211 fans entering its game against Maryland tonight at Pauley Pavilion ranks third to last among the 18 Big Ten teams, topping only Northwestern (4,886) and USC (4,280). When asked what can be done to get more people in the building, MBB HC Mick Cronin replied: “That’s a Martin Jarmond question. You know, there’s only so many things I can worry about. I’ve been getting that [question] since my days at Murray State. Donors, fans, friends of mine come with ideas — marketing, tickets. They have whole divisions of the athletic department to worry about that. Imagine having to raise $10 million to pay your team and you have to do it because the athletic department fundraisers raise money for the athletic department. So I think I’ll leave the marketing up to the marketing department.” Bolch contends that part of the issues are the marquee non conference matchups being held at neutral sites, ticket prices being too high and students being on winter break. (link)  

Land-Grant Holy Land’s Thomas Costello in a guest post for Awful Announcing criticizes the Big Ten's streaming strategy following Ohio State's 78-69 win over Illinois, a marquee women's basketball matchup featuring a career-high 41 points from Jaloni Cambridge and a courtside appearance by A'ja Wilson. The contest was relegated to B1G+, and Costello argues that putting high-stakes games—including upcoming ranked clashes like Washington vs. Michigan State—behind a conference-only paywall ($12.99/mo or $89.99/yr) stifles growth and visibility at a time when interest in women's sports is surging (ad spending up 139% in 2024). He contrasts the platform's limited value proposition and "early-2000s webpage" interface with the broader offerings of ESPN+, concluding: "When ranked games are relegated to behind an additional, niche paywall, and at a time when people are cutting back financially, they make the tough decision to spend their money on value rather than the need to watch every one of their team’s games. The longer B1G+ is part of that equation, the closer the Big Ten gets to hitting its ceiling.” (link)

Check out the progress being made at UCF’s Acrisure Bounce House Stadium. Video footage of December 1, 2025 compared to December 31, 2025. (link)

The NCAA has formally denied Virginia QB Chandler Morris’ request for a seventh season of collegiate eligibility. “Morris plans to exhaust all options, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, but this decision effectively ends Morris’ college career.” (link)

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(NEWEST!) Assistant Men's Soccer, Goalkeeper Coach (University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA / Los Angeles, CA): Develop elite goalkeepers and help drive success at the highest level of college soccer. Join a championship culture in vibrant, world-class Los Angeles. More details HERE.

 

(NEW!) Chief Executive Officer (IPTAY / Clemson, SC): The CEO is responsible for providing strategic leadership for IPTAY by working with the Board, Clemson Athletics, and other University leaders to establish long-range goals and strategic priorities. More details HERE.

Job openings by discipline, posted in the past 15 days...

Learning Specialist (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

Director of Sport Administration & Policy (Patriot League / Bethlehem, PA): More details HERE.

 

Associate Athletic Director of Budget and Finance (The Citadel / Charleston, SC): More details HERE.

 

Coordinator, Business Operations (Western Kentucky University / Bowling Green, KY): More details HERE.

 

Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations (Tufts University / Medford, MA): (DIII) More details HERE. 

 

Assistant AD, Business and Financial Reporting (George Mason University / Fairfax, VA): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director/Coordinator of Business Operations & Payables (University of Arkansas / Fayetteville, AR): More details HERE.

 

Sr. Associate/Executive Sr. Associate AD/Leadership and Culture Development (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Coach - Baseball (Eastern Michigan University / Ypsilanti, MI): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Women's Soccer Coach (Abilene Christian University / Abilene, TX): More details HERE.

 

Head Coach, Women's Field Hockey (University of New Hampshire / Durham, NH): More details HERE.

 

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Assistant Men's Tennis Coach (University of Texas – San Antonio / San Antonio, TX): More details HERE.

 

Director of Recruiting Strategy (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Coach, Women's Volleyball (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): More details HERE.

Executive Director, Creative Design, Department of Athletics (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): More details HERE.

 

Director of Graphic Design (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): More details HERE.

 

Graduate Assistant: Athletic Marketing (Belmont University / Nashville, TN): More details HERE.

 

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Customer Success Manager (RealResponse / Remote): More details HERE.

 

Director of Player Management (University of Georgia / Athens, GA): More details HERE.

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Executive Director of Development, Athletics (California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo / San Luis Obispo, CA): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Athletic Director of Development, Annual Fund (Syracuse University / Syracuse, NY): More details HERE.

 

Executive Director of Operations, Events and Donor Relations (Syracuse University / Syracuse, NY): More details HERE.

 

Foundation Development Director (MAPGA Foundation / Stafford, VA): More details HERE.

 

Asst. Director Gamecock Club - External Operations (University of South Carolina / Columbia, SC): More details HERE.

 

Associate Athletics Director, Major and Leadership Giving (Boston College / Boston, MA): More details HERE.

 

Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development (Towson University / Towson, MD): More details HERE.

 

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Commissioner (Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Madison, WI): (DIII) More details HERE.

 

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Director of Athletics (Lawrence University / Appleton, WI): (DIII) More details HERE.

 

Sr. Associate/Executive Sr. Associate AD/Leadership and Culture Development (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE.

Director of Sport Administration & Policy (Patriot League / Bethlehem, PA): More details HERE.

 

Director of Athletic Facility Operations (Texas Christian University / Fort Worth, TX): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Commissioner for Championships, Administration and External Operations (South Atlantic Conference / Rock Hill, SC): (DII) More details HERE.

 

Senior Athletics Operations Associate, Mount Vernon Athletic Facilities and Barcroft Park (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

 

Athletics Groundskeeper (Florida Gulf Coast University / Fort Myers, FL): More details HERE.

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Sports Dietitian (Iowa State University / Ames, IA): More details HERE.

 

Associate Athletic Trainer - Football (University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA / 90095, CA): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director Of Olympic Sports Nutrition (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): More details HERE.

 

Coordinator, Sports Performance Operations (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): More details HERE.

 

Sports Dietitian (Director, Football Performance Nutrition) (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): More details HERE.

 

Associate Director of Athletic Training - Football - (250000QF) (Towson University / Towson, MD): More details HERE.

 

Athletic Trainer (Texas Christian University / Fort Worth, TX): More details HERE.

 

Athletic Trainer (University of South Carolina – Upstate / Spartanburg, SC): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Director, Behavioral Health & Performance (Tulane University / New Orleans, LA): More details HERE.

 

Director, Strength and Conditioning (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

 

Assistant Athletic Trainer (Swim & Dive) (San Diego State University / San Diego, CA): More details HERE.

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Ticket Sales & Operations Manager (University of Texas – El Paso / El Paso, TX): More details HERE.

 

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Assistant Director of Ticket Operations (Texas A&M University 12th Man Foundation / College Station, TX): More details HERE.

 

Associate Director of Ticket Services (East Carolina University / Greenville, NC): More details HERE.