D1.ticker Top Ten - the most clicked stories of the past week

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#10: NCAA SVP of Policy and Governance Kevin Lennon, the longest-tenured national office employee, will retire in August after being with the NCAA since 1986. President Charlie Baker: “Kevin was one of the first people I met when I became president of the NCAA. We discovered that he and I had been student-athletes at Harvard around the same time. While I had been unable to hold onto any job for more than 10 years, Kevin had become an increasingly important part of the NCAA's story for almost three decades. When I asked him to take on a newly created leadership role overseeing governance shortly after I arrived, he made clear to me that he would give it all he had, but he wouldn't commit in that moment to do it for the long term. He has delivered on both parts of his commitment. His leadership, steadiness and wide circle of colleagues and relationships has made the work we've done for the past two years much easier and better than it would have been without him. I wish him joy and happiness in whatever he chooses to do next and will continue to call him for guidance and advice.” (link)

#9: Purdue Fort Wayne has introduced a new branding package, effective immediately. From the Mastodons’ release: “The new logo incorporates the traditional Purdue gold color (golden, HEX CFB991), matching the same gold used on the rest of Purdue Fort Wayne's campus marks. Also new is a horizontal version of the primary logo with Purdue Fort Wayne to the side of the logo. The vertical option, with Purdue Fort Wayne above the Mastodon logo, will be the primary mark and used in most instances. Fort Wayne is now featured on all marks in a larger, bolder font.” (link)

#8: Tennessee AD Danny White has unveiled a collective bargaining model that he believes could serve as a solution to what continues to plague the industry. Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger explains: “In White’s model, college athletes would, in fact, not be employees of their schools. The structure calls for the creation of a national employment organization that partners with a players association, perhaps one already formed in the professional leagues, to create a ‘modernized and improved ecosystem’ for football and men’s basketball players, White describes, and one still tethered to higher education via requirements in a bargained agreement.” White tells Dellenger: “Collective bargaining and employment status shouldn't be seen as negative terms. I think there’s a lot of people who think the same way I do. We can go through another three or five or 10 years of a difficult environment. Or we can accept the reality and fix it right now.” Baylor AD Mack Rhoades and SMU AD Damon Evans believe it’s time to start having the conversation as well, with Rhoades remarking: “Whether you call it collective bargaining or some kind of negotiating process, I think it is needed.” Evans adds: “It’s worth exploring. There is concern over unionizing and I understand that, but where we are right now … I don’t think this is the last iteration of this process.” Lots more, including a flow chart that is part of White’s proposal. (link)

#7: Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger reports that in total 319 schools opted into the House settlement. (link)

#6: The NCAA DI Committee on Legislative Relief has issued a blanket waiver for Designated Student-Athletes to enter the transfer portal from July 7 to August 5, per Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger, who adds: “There is no limit to how many athletes a school can designate as a DSA. Deadline to submit DSA lists is July 6. However, the DSAs are now free to transfer this summer and ‘must be released from their contract prohibition’ with their existing schools, per documents. A reminder: An athlete is eligible to be placed on a DSA list if he/she (1) would have been removed from the school's 2025-26 roster due to new roster limits; (2) was an eligible member of a team in 2024-25; (3) was recruited & assured by a school of a 2025-26 roster spot.” (link)

#5: Tennessee AD Danny White was the highest-paid public school AD in the country for 2024-25, bringing home a total of $3.35M. White’s contract allows a maximum of $600K in bonuses within an academic year. Without the cap, his incentive bonus would’ve totaled $632,500. The Knoxville News Sentinel’s Adam Sparks breaks down all of White’s bonuses: $247,500 (9% of base salary) for Learfield Directors’ Cup top 10 finish; $137,500 (5%) for Academic Progress Rate high score; $82,500 (3%) for football making College Football Playoff; $82,500 (3%) for men’s basketball reaching Sweet 16 (no additional bonus for reaching Elite 8); and $82,500 (3%) for women’s basketball reaching Sweet 16. Sparks notes that Texas AD Chris Del Conte had a similar base salary of $2.525M, but his bonuses were capped at $250K. Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt, Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione, Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts, Ohio State’s Ross Bjork and Michigan AD Warde Manuel are among the other highest-paid ADs among publicly available schools. (link)

#4: Syracuse is set to hire FBS ADA Acting President/CEO Heather Lyke in a high-ranking role to serve a special advisor to AD John Wildhack and Chancellor Kent Syverud, per Syracuse.com’s Mike Waters. (link)

#3: Northern Arizona has promoted Deputy AD Uri Farkas to VP for Intercollegiate Athletics. Farkas has held the role on an interim basis since March 1, and President José Luis Cruz Rivera says: "Since stepping into the interim role, Uri has led with integrity, energy, and vision—qualities that have galvanized excellence across Lumberjack Athletics. His leadership will bring continued momentum and success to NAU Athletics, and I look forward to all that Uri will accomplish in advancing the excellence of our programs and supporting the success of our student-athletes." Extra Points’ Matt Brown was one of the first to report the news. (link, link)

#2: North Carolina AD Bubba Cunningham has agreed to a two-year extension through July 2029. He will remain in his current role until the summer of 2026 before transitioning to Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Athletic Director. He will be succeeded as AD by Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing President Steve Newmark, who will come aboard as Executive Assoc. AD. UNC notes that Newmark has experience in “sponsorships, marketing, team operations and contract negotiations” and will “initially focus his attention on strategies tied to revenue-driving initiatives, particularly related to UNC's Football and Men's and Women's Basketball programs” before transitioning to AD in 2026. Cunningham: "As part of my last contract extension, I committed to working with University leadership on a succession plan that would positively position Carolina Athletics and our 28 teams for the future. I appreciate the opportunity to extend my contract and enhance my role in a way that will allow me to continue to support our outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff as we transition and navigate the changing athletics landscape." (link)

#10: NCAA VP of Academic and Membership Affairs Dave Schnase will also retire in September after three decades in Indianapolis. President Charlie Baker: “There may be no one who knows as much about the history, challenges and changes as Dave Schnase does. His contributions, mentorship, leadership, steady hand and calm and thoughtful way of handling issues and people make him a unique presence at the NCAA, for members and staff alike. As we've worked through the challenging task of modernizing many elements of our regulatory approach at the same time we continue to oversee and manage the rules we have, he has been at the center of this management and decision-making process. Dave made clear to me he wouldn't be at the NCAA forever but made clear to me he would be here to help us work our way through many of our biggest challenges which he has done. I wish him the very best as he moves on to whatever his next act will be and thank him immensely for all he has given to college sports and the NCAA.” (link)

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