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The Daily News-Record’s Shane Mettlen and Catie Harper spoke with James Madison President Jim Schmidt about the school's impending move to the American, noting “conversations about the move have been going on for sometime, but Schmidt said the potential raise in the Sun Belt's exit fee was a determining factor to make the move now.” Schmidt described it as a ‘strategic moment of time,’ adding: “We either should be intentionally staying in the Sun Belt for the foreseeable future, knowing that it would be hard to leave or the exit fee is high. Or if we're going to make a move sometime in the next two to three or four years, now seems like the right time to do it.” Schmidt offered some details on the $23M American entrance fee, noting JMU is bringing corporate sponsorship deals to the conference as a whole. Those sponsors, who have yet to be announced, are now doing business with the league contingent on adding JMU. Mettlen: “JMU is bringing corporate $$ to the American to cover some, maybe all, of the entrance fee. It's not on top of. It seems similar to a smaller-scale version of the FedEx package Memphis offered the Big 12.” (link, link, link)

In the wake of James Madison’s announcement that it would join the American by July 1, 2028, The Athletic’s Chris Vannini, Justin Williams and Matt Baker examine what that move means for JMU, the Group of 6 and more.

Nebraska’s athletic department has spent $85M (14%) to date of its approved $600M budget for the Big Red Rebuild project, which is set to include “significant renovations and modernization of Memorial Stadium." Approved by the Board of Regents back in April following the pause of a previous $450M proposal under former AD Trev Alberts, the project is being entirely funded through private donations and bond financing. Per Nebraska Public Media’s Aaron Bonderson, crews are currently drilling and pouring the foundation for what will become the new West Stadium, with demolition of the West and South Stadiums slated to begin following the current gridiron season. In addition, the university largely completed an $11.4M renovation of the Bob Devaney Sports Center ahead of the 2026 fall season. The effort, which came in within an approved $13.35M budget, expanded capacity to 10K and added chairback seating, premium spaces and ADA accessibility upgrades, with more than $1.5M remaining for planned audio, video and flooring improvements. (link)

The Utah Board of Trustees has approved a motion to move forward with the Utes’ plans to renovate Rice-Eccles Stadium. Per the Salt Lake Tribune’s Jason Batacao, “the total project cost will be around $39.1M including soft costs,” and will be funded by the school’s on-hand capital expenditures money. (link)

Arkansas Pine Bluff is officially breaking ground today on its first-ever on-campus track and field facility. The project, being developed through the collaborative efforts of Tarkett Sports, Design One Contracting, McClelland Consulting Engineers and Polk Stanley Wilcox, will also serve as the home venue for UAPB’s women’s soccer program. (link)

Rising NIL guarantees and escalating development costs are creating serious internal concerns about the long-term viability of EA Sports’ College Football video game franchise just two years after its successful return, per Insider Gaming’s Mike Straw. Here’s the deal…

SMU has agreed to an all-sports jersey patch deal with Dallas-based bank, Texas Capital. The partnership is the largest in the Mustangs’ history. (link, link) 

St. John’s inks a partnership naming AlumniFi as the Official Credit Union of St. John's Athletics. Through the deal, the digital-first banking brand will also be the first corporate partner in program history to have its logo prominently displayed on the Red Storm's men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball and lacrosse uniforms. The agreement was facilitated through Learfield’s St. John's Sports Properties. (link)

Florida Gulf Coast has unveiled Naples Comprehensive Health’s on-court logo at Alico Arena, part of the Playfly Sports-coordinated partnership between the two entities announced back on June 18. (link) 

Federal Trade Commission officials are conducting a probe into the $167B online sports gambling industry, focusing on whether major sportsbooks such as DraftKings and FanDuel have engaged in deceptive and misleading advertising practices. While political and career staffers at the agency are evaluating the market, “prediction markets” such as Kalshi and Polymarket are not expected to be included. The review arrives amid growing criticism from conservative advocacy groups regarding increases in suicide, hospitalizations and bankruptices among users. Per The Washington Sun’s Jeff Stein, the Trump administration has so far taken a hands-off approach with the industry with the White House having even promoted an advertisement for sports-betting site Stake during the UFC event held on the South Lawn this summer. (link)  

Look Good, Feel Good…
➤ Coastal Carolina is taking a trip back to the 90’s for Friday night’s annual "Wait Til You See This" football matchup against App State by taking the field in a limited-edition uniform combination drawn from the colorful, oversized 90’s aesthetic seen in TV shows such as Saved By The Bell, Boy Meets World, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Friends and more. (link)
➤ Cal Football plans to unveil a new Grateful Dead-themed helmet for this weekend’s home match-up against Wake Forest. In addition, it appears “Grateful Bears” merchandise will soon be available to purchase as part of the collaboration. (link, link) 

People & Places…
➤ Maryland Eastern Shore elevates Transfer Credit Coordinator Chakita Crews to the role of Assoc. AD for Academics. (link)
➤ Ohio Women’s Swimming & Diving HC Mason Norman agrees to a four-year extension that could keep him at the helm through the 2029-30 campaign. (link)

American Commissioner Tim Pernetti talks about the addition of James Madison, telling Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster: “They meet the mark in a lot of what the DNA is of our league. It’s going to strengthen our conference. They’re investing, and that’s a really important thing. They have a brand that’s emerged. Remember, they’ve only been at the FBS level in football for four years, and they’ve already played in the College Football Playoff. … But in general, you’re looking for institutional alignment. Jim Schmidt, their president, and Matt Roan, their athletic director, have a vision.” Also of note from Pernetti…

Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger adds this clarification about James Madison’s move to the American: “JMU’s full distribution from the American would kick in at the end of a 6-year integrated timeline similar to the other most recently added members. Full distribution is possible before that date depending on changes to the American’s media rights contract.” (link)

Another nugget from Dellenger as SEC presidents “tabled a vote on re-implementing the intraconference transfer policy that would require athletes moving within the league to sit a season. … Presidents approved a uniform NIL/rev-share contract that includes customizable components.” (link)

Incarnate Word’s AD search is down to five candidates, which CollegeAD reports will go through a second round of virtual interviews this week, adding: “From there, the expectation is that a final group of candidates will advance to in-person interviews.” (link)

Arctos Managing Partner Doc O'Connor and Raine Group Partner Colin Neville talked about the fundamentals driving sports franchise valuations during a panel discussion with MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson at Puck's In the Arena Conference. O'Connor on the lack of regulation in college athletics: "I worry about college sports. It's a mess. Institutional capital—even family capital—coming into that ecosystem has the potential to cause great damage, because there's no regulatory overlay. It seems to me the only path to a solution is some form of federal regulation, and they can't seem to walk and chew gum at the same time, so I don't have much hope anything will change." (link)

South Dakota AD Jon Schemmel joined host John Thayer to reflect on a record-setting Dakota Days homecoming crowd, review progress on major athletic facility projects, discuss conference stability and more. Here are some takeaways…

Virginia Tech Deputy AD/Chief Strategy Officer Ryan Gottlieb Q&As with Tech Talk Live about his mandate to accelerate commercial growth and generate new revenue streams for the athletic department and the Invest to Win initiative in Blacksburg. Aligning commercial resources with on-field success: "My job is to grow our athletics resources and help us get more resources and, frankly, more money in the bank for Virginia Tech athletics. There’s never been a time in college athletics where resources have dictated on-field success and the trajectory of a college athletics program more than now. You look at the teams that have been in the College Football Playoff every year, and they’re the ones with the biggest budgets." As for leveraging Lane Stadium to host live music events: "The coolest thing about stadium concerts is having 40K, 50K or 60K people coming to one location, and everybody is rooting for the same outcome — to have a great time. You don’t have visiting-team fans. ... The concert business is great. We’re actively pursuing things here. It’s definitely part of our roadmap." (link)

The success of this year’s inaugural Spikes Under the Lights volleyball showcase, which brought Nebraska, Florida, Penn State, and SMU to AT&T Stadium to compete in front of 40K fans for their share of the largest prize pool in the history of women’s college sports ($1M), provided yet another example of how interest in the sport has spiked, per Bloomberg’s Lauren Larson. Former Cleveland State volleyball student-athlete Nickole Tara, Chief Business Officer at Full Day Productions, which organized the event along with sports and entertainment marketing firm GSE Worldwide: “The amounts of money are phenomenal. It’s interesting now, so many years later, to see volleyball really become part of the zeitgeist. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I was born in the wrong era.’” SMU HC Sam Erger encourages her players to take full advantage of the opportunities before them. “Getting $5K to post a photo of you holding a box of Wheaties? I didn’t get $5K to live on for the whole semester.” Larson adds: “There’s no bitterness when former players talk about volleyball’s ascendance — just thrilled awe.” (link)

The latest edition of D1.ticker’s 2026 FBS Attendance Trends has been released. Northwestern (170.98%) tops a contingent of 31 schools that have achieved a stadium capacity percentage of 100% or higher through Week 6 of the college football campaign. Comparing average attendance change YoY from 2025 to 2026, Sam Houston (172%), Northwestern (78.01%), Northern Illinois (76.56%), UMass (65.36%) and Temple (56.21%) currently represent the top five for largest percentage increase. Check out the full list, which will be updated each week throughout the season. (link)

Cal has opened an on-campus Twitch studio through livestreaming network StreamU to expand NIL opportunities for its student-athletes. Equipped with Sony and Canon cameras, professional lighting and audio, a Blackmagic Design video switcher to produce streams with multiple camera views, a PlayStation 5 gaming lounge for gaming sessions with teammates and a portable Sony FX3 camera and LiveU encoder to let student-athletes take streams on the go, the facility already has a content calendar in place for 10 hours of weekly programming, including workouts, teammate challenges, cooking contests and campus tours, watch parties and game-day coverage. TheLinkU will support the network by managing contracts, fund distribution and reporting. Additional StreamU studios are scheduled to open in the coming weeks at Arkansas, Texas A&M, Baylor and Houston. (link)

Relocating a household during a high-stakes career transition in college athletics often creates unnecessary personal strain right when you need to be focused on your new program. Serving as your family's single, trusted operational hub, D1.relocation’s Director of Relocation Operations (DORO) coordinates every moving company, auto hauler, and temporary housing need through one dedicated advocate. By pairing tailored community integration and school matching with department-approved direct billing and cash-back real estate rewards, we ensure your family experiences a smooth, supported arrival with zero out-of-pocket financial strain. (link)

Trading on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket drove combined weekly prediction market volume to a record $22.2B during recent NFL and NCAA weekends, according to Bloomberg's Maria Paula Mijares Torres. Sports accounted for over 80% of Kalshi's September volume, helping push the company to a $40B valuation ahead of a potential IPO. Torres notes the platforms are heavily leaning into parlay-style combo trades, which constituted 65% of Kalshi's total volume and 53% of Polymarket's U.S. volume, with heavy football days generating $1.36B in daily combos compared to just $900M across the entire previous NFL regular season. The NFL recently joined states to push for Supreme Court intervention against the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's current regulatory framework, prompting Indiana associate business law professor John Holden to posit: "If prediction markets are successful at the Supreme Court, then basically the sports betting regulatory regime as it exists could basically cease to exist." (link)

People & Places…
➤ Little Rock has selected Mississippi State Senior Assoc. AD for Business Affairs Tim Padgett for its Deputy AD post, per CollegeAD. (link)
➤ WHSV’s Connor Burgan notes that a clause in James Madison Football HC Billy Napier's contract specifies that if JMU joins a new conference, Napier and the university "shall engage in a good-faith review and negotiation" on Napier's annual compensation structure, staff salary pool, operating budget and NIL amounts to be commensurate with peer institutions within the new conference. (link)
➤ ESPN men’s hoops analyst Terrence Oglesby has signed a two-year contract extension with the company. (link)

Interested in advertising a job opening in D1.ticker on CollegeSports.jobs? Submit your position here. Jobs from the past 10 days are listed below.

(NEW!) General Manager, Athletics (Florida Gulf Coast University / Fort Myers, FL): The General Manager, Athletics provides strategic support to FGCU Athletics and coaching staff in roster management, revenue sharing, recruiting, budget management, and basketball operations. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Director of Athlete Compensation (Clemson University / Clemson, SC): Key member of the Athletics Central Front Office, providing strategic leadership & analytical support in the development, negotiation, and administration of student-athlete compensation strategies. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Director of Roster Strategy & Analytics (Clemson University / Clemson, SC): Key member of the Athletics Central Front Office, providing strategic, financial & analytical support for roster construction, resource allocation, and competitive decision-making across athletics. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Manager or Director, Custodial & Grounds Operations (Facilities Maintenance) (Colgate University / Hamilton, NY): The Facilities Department provides the physical environment, utilities, and facilities support services necessary to promote the educational and research activities of the university. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assoc. Director, Communications - Multiple Sports (Baseball Primary) (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): Manage athletics communications and media relations for assigned sports, including publicity, content creation, social media, gameday operations, and promotion of student-athletes and programs. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Senior Athletics Academic Advisor (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): The Senior Athletics Academic Advisor is charged with managing all aspects of academic support for student-athletes on assigned teams. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Executive Assistant to the Director of Athletics (San Diego State University / San Diego, CA): Be the center of SDSU Athletics as the trusted executive assistant to the AD shaping high-impact operations, events, relationships & strategic initiatives across the university & beyond. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Account Executive, Ticket Sales (University of Arizona / Tucson, AZ): Be part of the team driving Arizona Athletics forward! As an Account Executive, you'll turn passion into ticket sales, grow revenue, build lasting fan relationships, and fuel the Wildcat experience. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach (Colgate University / Hamilton, NY): Assist Colgate's men's and women's tennis programs on-court at practices and competitions. The assistant coach will aid in the development and coaching of Colgate student-athletes. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Part-time Cross Country / Track & Field Assistant Coach (Colgate University / Hamilton, NY): Assist Colgate's track & field and cross country programs at practices and competitions. Job duties include but are not limited to skill instruction. More details HERE.

Associate AD Academic Services-Student Athletes (Oklahoma State University / Stillwater, OK): More details HERE.

Learning Specialist II (University of Texas – Austin / Austin, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Professor - Sport Administration (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Chapel Hill, NC): More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director for Sports Analytics (William & Mary / Williamsburg, VA): More details HERE.

Data Analyst – Athletic Financial Reporting (Texas A&M University / College Station, TX): More details HERE.

Men's Assistant Coach (Swarthmore College / Swarthmore, PA): More details HERE.

Assistant Women's Basketball Coach (Monmouth University / West Long Branch, NJ): More details HERE.

Assistant Women's Rowing Coach (Monmouth University / West Long Branch, NJ): More details HERE.

Head Coach, Men’s Tennis (Belmont University / Nashville, TN): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Nashville? Click HERE.

Head Women's Soccer Coach (Iowa State University / Ames, IA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Ames? Click HERE.

Head Coach Athletics Pool (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Miami? Click HERE.

Assistant Coach Athletics Pool (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE.

Strategic Communications Coordinator (Fresno State / Fresno, CA): More details HERE.

Associate Director, Athletics Creative Content Producer (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): More details HERE.

Graphic Designer - Athletics (University of Alabama at Birmingham / Birmingham, AL): More details HERE.

Associate Director, Athletics Integrated Communications (University of Memphis / Memphis, TN): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Bronco Productions / Creative Media (Western Michigan University / Kalamazoo, MI): More details HERE.

Director of Fan Experience and Engagement (Murray State University / Murray, KY): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Social Media Marketing Strategy (University of Wisconsin / Madison, WI): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Marketing (Loyola University Chicago / Chicago, IL): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation (La Salle University / Philadelphia, PA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Philadelphia? Click HERE.

Assistant AD Marketing and Fan Engagement (Oklahoma State University / Stillwater, OK): More details HERE.

Assistant Director for Compliance Services (University of Connecticut / Storrs Mansfield, CT): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director of Compliance (Administrator I) (San Diego State University / San Diego, CA): More details HERE.

Associate Director of Compliance (Oklahoma State University / Stillwater, OK): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director Compliance (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Miami? Click HERE.

Director, Governance and Compliance (Mountain West Conference / Las Vegas, NV): More details HERE.

Director Athletic Compliance Eligibility (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE.

Director OR Senior Director of Donor Experiences and Special Events (Virginia Athletics Foundation) (University of Virginia / Charlottesville, VA): More details HERE.

Major Gift Officer, Athletics Development (Villanova University / Villanova, PA): More details HERE.

Donor Stewardship and Engagement Specialist (Duke University / Durham, NC): More details HERE.

Annual Fund Coordinator, Parking Operations (University of Tennessee / Knoxville, TN): More details HERE.

Donor Events & Stewardship Coordinator (ALUMNI EXTERNAL REL SPEC 3) Job 88834 (University of California – Davis / Davis, CA): More details HERE.

Senior Director of Development (Northern Arizona University / Flagstaff, AZ): More details HERE.

Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Development Officer for Athletics - (ATH00000504) (Southern Methodist University – SMU / Dallas, TX): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Dallas? Click HERE.

Associate Director of Development - Major Gifts (Purdue University / West Lafayette, IN): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development - Athletics (Ohio State University / Columbus, OH): More details HERE.

Broncos Empowered and Varsity W Club Specialist (Western Michigan University / Kalamazoo, MI): More details HERE.

Manager, Premium Seating & Parking (University of Oregon / Eugene, OR): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation (La Salle University / Philadelphia, PA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Philadelphia? Click HERE.

Assistant/Associate Director of Development, Intercollegiate Athletics (Penn State / University Park, PA): More details HERE.

Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Development Officer for Athletics - (ATH00000504) (Southern Methodist University – SMU / Dallas, TX): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Dallas? Click HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director Compliance (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Miami? Click HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation (La Salle University / Philadelphia, PA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Philadelphia? Click HERE.

Events & Facilities Coordinator (Fresno State / Fresno, CA): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director Equipment and Apparel (New Mexico State University / Las Cruces, NM): More details HERE.

Internal Operations/Facilities and Event Management Graduate Assistant (Fort Hays State University / Hays, KS): More details HERE.

Director of Sport Administration and Championships (American Conference / Irving, TX): More details HERE.

Director of Event Operations (University of South Carolina / Columbia, SC): More details HERE.

Director of Rentals, Facilities & Operations (Yale University / New Haven, CT): More details HERE.

Facilities Operation Specialist (California State University – Fullerton / Fullerton, CA): More details HERE.

Administrative Assistant II (Murray State University / Murray, KY): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (University of Illinois Chicago / Chicago, IL): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (Long Beach State University / Long Beach, CA): More details HERE.

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Pool (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer Pool (Florida International University / Miami, FL): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (The George Washington University / Washington, DC): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (California State University – Fullerton / Fullerton, CA): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (Towson University / Towson, MD): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation (La Salle University / Philadelphia, PA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Philadelphia? Click HERE.

Director of Ticket Operations (University of Maryland / College Park, MD): More details HERE.

Annual Fund Coordinator, Ticketing Operations (University of Tennessee / Knoxville, TN): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Ticket Sales (United States Air Force Academy / Colorado Springs, CO): More details HERE.

Ticket Sales Associate (Marquette University / Milwaukee, WI): More details HERE.

Account Executive, Ticket Services (North Carolina State University / Raleigh, NC): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation (La Salle University / Philadelphia, PA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Philadelphia? Click HERE.