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Sources tell CollegeAD that NEC officials held interviews with commissioner candidates last week. The NEC is working with CSA Search & Consulting. (link)

While the Protect College Sports Act appears set to clear the Senate this week, questions remain about whether the House will return from its early recess to take up the legislation, and one lobbyist who worked on the PCSA tells The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo: “We remain pretty optimistic the House is going to make this a priority when they come back. The only reason you wouldn’t do that is because of sour grapes. They owe it to the American people, and especially for Republicans, to the expectations of the president on top of that.” If the lower chamber does come back, work remains to convince Congress members on both sides, including Chip Roy (R-TX), who says: “Ted’s got some good things in the bill and I’ve got some things that are concerning. We’ve got to do something, but it has to be sufficient enough. But right now, the last thing we need to do is campaign on sports when we need to do the SAVE [America] Act and cut spending.” (link)

The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled for tomorrow a hearing titled "Hearings To Examine Standing Up For Women In Sports, Focusing On Ensuring Opportunity, Fairness And Safety For Female Athletes." The hearing currently lists no witnesses, per Legis1, which also reports: “Fox Corp. filed a lobbying disclosure for Q4 2025 reporting $1.49M in lobbying activity and listed the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement Act (S2932) as legislation lobbied on, and filed a lobbying disclosure for Q3 2025 reporting $1.09M in lobbying activity and listed the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement Act (S2932) as legislation lobbied on; Fox Corp. lobbied on issues related to online sports betting in Q4 2025. American Gaming Association filed a lobbying disclosure for Q1 2026 reporting $730K in lobbying activity and lobbied on issues related to the PROTECT Student Athletes Act (H.R. 1552) in Q1 2026. American Gaming Association filed a lobbying disclosure for Q2 2026 reporting $660K in lobbying expenditures and lists the PROTECT Student Athletes Act (H.R. 1552) as a specific issue lobbied.” (link)

Freshly minted Old Dominion AD Tim House says he believes his “background is more impactful here than in the Big Ten because there’s so much TV money at that level. Whereas, my ability to come in and just be the best version of me and do what I’ve done well in terms of donor relationships, revenue-generation relationships, multi-media partnerships, I think if I can take a lot of what I learned at that level, it actually makes a greater impact here. You find an extra, $3M, $4M, $5M a year in fundraising dollars here, you’re talking about winning the Sun Belt in everything. You’re putting yourself in position. You still have to have the culture, still have to have the coaches, but those resources make a greater impact here.” He adds: “All the bones are here … but I think we can take it to the next level.” (link)

As Utah State AD Cameron Walker approaches his one-year anniversary in the role, he talks with The Utah Statesman’s Mark Greenwood about his experience so far and his plans for moving forward. Key takeaways…

The James Madison Board of Visitors reviewed athletic department updates and facility master plans at its latest meeting. The board also addressed data showing last season's College Football Playoff appearance against Oregon generated nearly $300M in earned-media value across 10K mentions and drew 4.1M viewers. The Daily News-Record’s Shane Mettlen notes the exposure arrives as the university targets an enrollment increase from its current 23,167 students to 30K by 2040. Additionally, Dukes AD Matt Roan confirmed the athletic department finished paying its share of the House settlement and outlined requests for proposals to redevelop the district surrounding Bridgeforth Stadium, which could feature a stadium expansion, an indoor practice facility, and the razing of Godwin Hall, the current home of the swimming and diving program. Board Athletics Committee Chair John Lynch also noted that football has sold out of season tickets for the fourth straight season. (link)

Mississippi Valley State AD Dr. Alecia Shields-Gadson has issued a statement through X apologizing for what she calls a “lackluster game day experience” during last weekend’s home football loss to Delta State at Rice-Totten Stadium that reads, in part: “We hold ourselves to a high standard, and this weekend we fell short of delivering the vibrant, seamless, and exciting environment that our loyal alumni, students, and community deserve. From operational delays to the overall stadium atmosphere, the experience did not reflect the true spirit of MVSU football. … We are already reviewing every aspect of our game day operations to ensure that our next home game provides the premier experience you expect and deserve. Thank you for your unmatched loyalty, your patience, and your continued support of our student-athletes. We are committed to getting this right, and we look forward to welcoming you back with a renewed energy and an improved atmosphere.” (link)

Major non-conference women’s college athletics showcases are growing into premier pro venues, capitalizing on surging television ratings, record venue crowds and new NIL revenue streams, per SBJ’s Rachel Axon. Event operators including Range Sports, Wild Horse Sports and ESPN Events are now expanding inventories across basketball, softball and gymnastics, with Players Era projecting mid-seven figures in NIL deals combined in its volleyball and women’s basketball events, with USC, Texas, Duke and South Carolina committed to the December basketball showcase. Players Era CEO Seth Berger: "What’s interesting is the number of quality teams in women’s sports has grown significantly in the last few years. So five years ago, a top-five versus top-20 women’s basketball game was not going to be close. Now these games are close. There are more really good players in women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. And so because of that, there’s more opportunity for event operators to create meaningful events." ESPN Events VP Clint Overby adds: “We have no shortage of teams looking for opportunities and we see no shortage of promoters out there looking to create opportunities.” (link)

North Carolina Baseball HC Scott Forbes has agreed to a six-year contract extension that will keep him in Chapel Hill through 2032. Per WRAL News’ Brian Murphy, the new agreement will pay him $1.2M annually in each of the first three years before climbing to $2M in the final year of the deal. Forbes will be eligible for up to $500K in performance bonuses each season with his contract also including a $1.55M staff salary pool; a $1.15M operating budget; and $820K in FY28 revenue sharing. (link, link, link)

The Miami Marlins cut six of their 12 pro scouts as part of an industry-wide shift toward video and data analytics over in-person evaluation. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes MLB teams are increasingly utilizing TrackMan technology to evaluate players remotely through digital interfaces, and the Marlins join a growing list of franchises, including the Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, and Minnesota Twins, that have reduced or eliminated traditional pro scouting departments in favor of a data-driven approach to big-league player evaluation. (link)

Wofford has received a $2M gift from Steve and Ashley Richardson Allen to endow the Women’s Basketball HC position. (link)

Omaha on Friday held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Howard L. Hawks Training Center and the $12.5M Maverick Park Clubhouse. A release from UNO notes the “privately funded project is part of the third phase of Omaha Athletics’ Campus Masterplan and represents a $67.5M investment in the holistic student-athlete experience.” (link)

Austin Peay shares a look at the new sod at Joe Maynard Field at Raymond C. Hand Park, home of the Govs’ baseball team. (link)

Boise State has partnered with Collegiate Mobile to launch Bronco Mobile, which automatically donates a portion of each subscriber’s monthly payment directly to one of two funds, as chosen by each individual subscriber – the Athletic Director’s Excellence Fund or the President’s True Blue Endowed Scholarship Fund. (link)

Colleges and universities remain deeply divided over the deployment of AI-detection software to combat automated academic dishonesty four years after the launch of ChatGPT, according to The Atlantic's Will Oremus, who notes Turnitin has sold its AI detection add-on to roughly 1,400 North American institutions—flagging AI writing in nearly half of all U.S. university submissions last academic year—while maintaining a claimed false-positive rate under 1% and a false-negative rate around 15%. Competitor Pangram reports an internal false-positive rate of 1 in 25K, yet major institutions like Vanderbilt, Indiana and Harvard have discouraged or banned automated detection due to concerns over false accusations, bias, and evasion tactics like "humanizer" tools. MIT teacher-education program director Eric Klopfer offers his solution: "We’re trying to think about how we approach the design of our education system in a way that should hopefully mitigate even the need for AI detectors. If it feels like what I’m doing is checking a box that says I’m going to get credit, then it’s understandable why students would want to take a shortcut." (link)

Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke expects prediction markets to remain a U.S. sports wagering fixture, while positioning the B2B data provider to monetize the expansion regardless of regulatory shifts, per Casino.org’s Todd Shriber. Genius recently secured event-contract settlement deals with Kalshi and Polymarket operators to provide official data, settlement, integrity services and real-time pricing feeds to exchange market makers, alongside user acquisition services via its media platforms. Texas Capital Analyst David Bain noted parallels between prediction markets’ current customer acquisition efforts and the post-2018 PASPA repeal customer acquisition "land grab" by online sportsbooks, highlighting that Genius had already secured agreements covering a substantial portion of active liquidity providers. Locke: “Demand can endure while access narrows, activity falls or customers move between products. The distinction is between confidence in the underlying appetite for sports wagering and confidence in any particular platform’s current business model. Genius does not need to make the second bet to benefit from the first. If prediction-market customers do not stick, the activity returns to the sportsbooks we already supply.” (link)

The SoCon officially launches the search for its new Commissioner. Samford President Dr. Beck A. Taylor will chair the search committee, which is slated to include a cross-section of presidents/chancellors, ADs, SWAs and FARs from the league’s member institutions. Parker Executive Search has been tapped to assist in the recruitment and evaluation process. (link)

Paramount has reportedly reached a settlement with a coalition of state attorneys general to clear the final regulatory hurdle for its $81B merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, per The Wall Street Journal’s Jessica Toonkel and Paul Kiernan. The agreement would resolve the antitrust lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other states, avoiding a trial and sparing the media company from paying Warner shareholders roughly $650M quarterly in "ticking fees" if the transaction failed to close by Oct. 1. Under Paramount CEO David Ellison, the combined media conglomerate will unite live sports broadcasting channels, primary streaming services Paramount+ and HBO Max, broadcasting assets including CNN, Cartoon Network and more without being forced to sell off cable networks. (link); Here’s the list of sports media assets that will live under the new Paramount umbrella. (link)

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who was instrumental in challenging NCAA NIL rules, visited with the Knoxville News Sentinel’s Tyler Whetstone for a Q&A to discuss ongoing federal legislation efforts and more. Here are some takeaways…

Trbine is pitching top athletic departments on a "revenue-based security" model designed to raise large sums of capital at a lower cost than traditional private equity, per SBJ’s Chris Smith. Here’s the breakdown…

UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla has his sights set on building a state-of-the-art sports arena to showcase UCSD’s basketball programs as part of a broader effort to raise the university's national profile, per The San Diego Union-Tribune's Gary Robbins. Khosla: “It’s a dream of mine to build a new arena. … I may not be around (when it’s done), but it is 100% doable. We don’t have to always be on campus. We have to be proximal to campus.” Khosla’s idea is in the early stages but he’s pushing for a facility on par with their peers, as the early-stage arena proposal coincides with the Tritons' upcoming transition from the Big West to the WCC in July 2027. In the interim, UC San Diego AD Andy Fee plans to upgrade concessions at the 4,200-seat LionTree Arena, schedule higher-profile non-conference opponents and expand campus athletic merchandise sales into retail stores. Fee: “Our goal is to find more ways to get a USC or Fresno State to come here. It might require us to go on the road and play them. But we like that. We’re not afraid. We’ll play anybody, anywhere.” (link)

East Carolina AD Jon Gilbert outlined a non-conference football scheduling strategy that centers on regional opponents to navigate Power 4 conference expansion, per The Reflector’s Donnell Coley. With P4 leagues adopting nine-game conference slates and non-conference games getting cancelled, Gilbert is prioritizing proximity, ticket sales and regional recruiting presence through series with Group of Six programs like Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State. “I think as we look at how the college landscape is rapidly changing, and it becomes increasingly more difficult to schedule games, I do think it’s really important from a non-conference standpoint to go to regional opponents where fans can travel and attend games.” For now, the Pirates still have a road tilt at Wake booked in 2028, while other future P4 contests include: at Northwestern (2027), at South Carolina (2030) and at Clemson (2034). Whether those all materialize is anyone’s guess and Gilbert says he will continue reaching out to the bigger conferences for games. In the immediate future, focusing on the ODUs to fortify regional rivalries is critical. “I think it’s important for us to schedule games across the G6 [so] that we’re playing the most competitive teams we can play." (link)

North Carolina is pursuing UNC Board of Trustees approval to “withdraw $9M from its Quasi-Endowment Fund to address increasing operational demands and support the Athletics financial plan during fiscal year 2027.” The Board of Trustees of the Endowment Fund approved the withdrawal by mail ballot, with the recommendation of the UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts. (link, link) 

NC State is seeking Board of Trustees approval this week to sell naming rights to the renovated dining/recruiting room in the Wendell H. Murphy Center for $2M, per WRAL News’ Brian Murphy, who notes the money "will be directed into the Carter-Finley Capital Fund." (link)

Illinois Chicago has received a seven-figure gift from Goldfinch Founder/CEO Omair Ahmed to support strategic priorities designed to enhance the student-athlete experience, strengthen recruiting and player development, expand program resources and further elevate the visibility and national profile of Flames men’s basketball. He will also serve as UIC’s honorary GM for the 2026-27 season. (link)

St. Thomas has received a $1M challenge gift from alumnus Tom Schultz and Ann Gray Harvey that’s designed to inspire additional philanthropic support for Tommie women's athletics throughout the 2026-27 academic year. (link)

In its FY26 annual report, Siena highlighted bringing in just over $807K in ticket sales revenue, marking an 11.8% increase over the previous year. The school also established a new fundraising record for the fifth straight year at its annual Saints Alive! Golf Shootout by generating $53,784 in net revenue for the Saints Alive! Athletic Fund and brought in more than $1.02M in Van Wagner corporate sales net revenue. Full annual report. (link)

The Union Jack Classic announces on X that it will return to London’s Wembley Stadium in 2027, while teasing “a big announcement coming soon with more details.” This year’s inaugural college football match-up between Arizona State and Kansas drew an announced crowd of 46,523, falling short of the 60K fans organizers hoped would attend the contest. (link)

Washington State collaborated with Daktronics on the installation of a new video board and audio system at Gesa Field for the 2026 home football campaign. The new end zone video display measures 42-feet high-by-101-feet wide and features a 10-millimeter pixel spacing, allowing for a combination of live video; instant replays; up-to-the-minute statistics and game information; graphics and animations; and sponsorship messages. The new audio system sits atop the east end zone video display as a point-source system and is redesigned to provide more detailed in-bowl sound within the current size and shape of the stadium, providing full-range intelligible sound; detailed music reproduction; clear sponsor messages and in-stadium presentations; and feedback-free calls and announcements to every seat. (link)

East Texas A&M signs a multi-year deal with FanWord to implement FanWord Assist in an effort to streamline its communications efforts. (link)

SBJ has released its 16th-annual Game Changers list, honoring women from around the globe for their leadership, innovation and accomplishments in sports business. Among the 60 total honorees are: Spartan Ventures SVP for Marketing & Brand LaRhonda Burley; Heisman SVP for Brand and Partnership Marketing Kristen Condo; Learfield EVP for Sports Properties Meghan Heinchon; Monumental Sports & Entertainment Chief People Officer Kelly Skoloda; and Excel Sports Management SVP for Communications Rachel Walsh. Full list. (link)

People & Places…
➤ Jackson State elevates Assoc. AD for Internal Operations Dr. Derek Scott to Deputy AD. (link)
➤ Northern Kentucky hires former Syracuse Deputy AD/SWA Kristen Elleby as Deputy AD for Administration. (link)
➤ Air Force taps former Wichita State Senior Assoc. AD/SWA and recent Springboard International Consultant Sarah Adams as Senior Assoc. AD. (link)
➤ Washington State promotes Asst. AD for Development Marcus Beals to Assoc. AD for Strategic Development and Revenue Initiatives. (link)
➤ Bradley welcomes FIU Director of Compliance Jimmy Fleming as Assoc. AD of Compliance and Administration. (link)
➤ Long Beach State selects former Concordia Irvine (DII) Men’s Basketball HC Ken Ammann as Assoc. AD of Basketball Strategy & Revenue/Men’s & Women’s Basketball GM. (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!) Assistant Athletics Director - Athletics Marketing (Texas Christian University / Fort Worth, TX): The Assistant AD, Athletics Marketing leads the TCU Athletics marketing strategy, overseeing fan journey, data-driven engagement, fan experience, brand growth, and cross-departmental collaboration. More details HERE.

Senior Athletics Academic Advisor (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Academic Counselor (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Chapel Hill, NC): More details HERE.

People Operations Coordinator, Athletics (University of Denver / Denver, CO): More details HERE.

Assistant Business Manager (University of Texas – Austin / Austin, TX): More details HERE.

Deputy Athletic Director (University of Washington / Seattle, US): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Seattle? Click HERE.

Data Analyst I (University of Alabama / Tuscaloosa, AL): More details HERE.

Coordinator of Operations, Women's Basketball (Stony Brook University / Stony Brook, NY): More details HERE.

Assistant Men's Basketball Coach (United States Naval Academy / Annapolis, MD): More details HERE.

Coordinator of Hockey Operations (St. Lawrence University / Canton, NY): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Men's Basketball Operations (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Assistant Rowing Coach (Merrimack College / North Andover, MA): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Marketing (Western Kentucky University / Bowling Green, KY): More details HERE.

Producer - ESPN+ (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): More details HERE.

Director of Communications (University of Arkansas at Little Rock / Little Rock, AR): More details HERE.

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

Marketing & Revenue Strategy Coordinator (Full-Time Temporary) (University of Nebraska / Lincoln, NE): More details HERE.

Program Coordinator, Athletic Video Production (University of Toledo / Toledo, OH): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director of Media & Creative Strategy (Wright State University / Dayton, OH): More details HERE.

Director of Marketing - Athletics (Abilene Christian University / Abilene, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Athletic Communications Strategy (R0009147) (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): More details HERE.

Asst AD - Digital Marketing and Revenue Strategy (University of California – San Diego / La Jolla, CA): More details HERE.

Director of Athletic Multimedia (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Sports Information Director (University of Alabama at Birmingham / Birmingham, AL): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Athletic Communications (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Associate Commissioner for Strategic Communications (Southeastern Conference / Birmingham, AL): More details HERE.

Compliance Coordinator, Athletics (Kennesaw State University / Kennesaw, GA): More details HERE.

Director of Signature Events and Stewardship (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): More details HERE.

Director of Hospitality and Premium Experiences (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): More details HERE.

Director of Development (University of Missouri / Columbia, MO): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Stewardship & Hospitality (University of Missouri / Columbia, MO): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development, Leadership Annual Giving, Athletics (University of Denver / Denver, CO): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Development (Washington State University / Pullman or Seattle, WA): More details HERE. 

Major Gift Officer (University of Washington / Seattle, WA): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development (University of Missouri / Columbia, MO): More details HERE.

Bulldog Club (Fellow) (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): More details HERE.

Director - Premium Seating & Gifts (Athletics) (Georgia Tech / Atlanta, GA): More details HERE.

Development Officer/Senior Development Officer - Athletics (Bucknell University / Lewisburg, PA): More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Athletic Director, Development (University of Memphis / Memphis, TN): More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Athletic Director, Annual Fund & Women Sport Initiatives (University of Memphis / Memphis, TN): More details HERE.

Commissioner (Southern Conference / Spartanburg, SC): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Spartanburg? Click HERE.

Director of Athletics (University of Detroit Mercy / Detroit, MI): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Detroit? Click HERE.

Deputy Athletic Director (University of Washington / Seattle, US): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Seattle? Click HERE.

Senior Associate Commissioner for Basketball (Big South Conference / Charlotte, NC): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Charlotte? Click HERE.

Event Manager Facilities and Operations (University of Northern Iowa / Cedar Falls, IA): More details HERE.

Building Manager – Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium (Wofford College / Spartanburg, SC): More details HERE.

Athletic Event & Facility Operations Specialist (Fort Hays State University / Hays, KS): (DII)  More details HERE.

Athletics Shipping & Receiving Technician (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Men's Basketball Administrative Assistant (University of Arkansas at Little Rock / Little Rock, AR): More details HERE

Athletic Trainer (Men's Basketball) (University of North Alabama / Florence, AL): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (Lamar University / Beaumont, TX): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer - Track and Field/Cross Country (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (University of Maine / Orono, ME): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer, Tennis and Golf (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (Troy University / Troy, AL): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Corporate Partnerships (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Ticket Sales & Retention (Auburn University / Auburn, AL): More details HERE.

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