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Here’s the latest on the Protect College Sports Act…

The Pac-12 is being removed as a defendant from the Patterson v. NCAA antitrust lawsuit that challenges the five-year eligibility rule. JohnCanzano.com’s eponymous publisher notes that plaintiffs’ attorneys initially grouped the conference alongside the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12 as part of the Power Five and adds: "The legacy Pac-12 was named in the early lawsuits, justifiably so. But this new iteration of the Pac-12 is only 16.7% (2/12ths) of what it once was. ... The SEC and Big Ten are different animals. Those two conferences collect 58% of the College Football Playoff revenue. They command and enjoy an outsized share of the overall college athletics TV revenue. I keep thinking that the lawyers will eventually figure out they should be suing those two giant conferences and using the others as expert witnesses." (link)

Wake Forest is nearing the halfway point of the first phase of its 100-acre sports-adjacent mixed-use real estate project, The Grounds. Development partners Carter and Front Street Capital will operate a retail village on a ground lease from the university, which currently attracts 1.1M annual visitors to its athletics complex encompassing the football stadium, arena, baseball stadium, and tennis center, according to SBJ’s Bret McCormick, who notes the initial phase features a five-story office building for university employees, an apartment complex and a revitalized Silas Creek greenway. Deacs’ AD John Currie on the primary goal driving the project: "Let’s figure out how we can serve our community better and how we can serve the university better and how we can create jobs and how we can create tax revenue for the community and how we can create a better place for people to go and quality of life and attraction. And so money results from all that, but the ‘why’ part is not just for money. I’m as capitalist as anybody, but the ‘why’ part is really how do we serve our community better?" The article includes updated photos and video of the progress in Winston-Salem. (link)

Learfield CEO Cole Gahagan explains to Sportico’s Justin Birnbaum that having a single private equity owner allows the company to be “a bit more efficient in the boardroom. … TPG as the majority owner really helps to make things a bit more efficient in strategy and planning and decision-making, so I think that’s the biggest thing that’s different and advantageous now relative to where we’ve been in the past.” (link)

Nebraska AD Troy Dannen on his monthly radio show talked about the department's goal of reaching the top third of the Big Ten in roster spending across sports while generating internal revenue to support national championship contention. D1.takeaways…

Kentucky football season ticket sales increased roughly 3% YoY to 39,413 for HC Will Stein's first season. Despite the 1,116-ticket bump, the Lexington Herald-Leader's Jon Hale notes the total remains below the 40K-ticket threshold achieved in 2023 and 2024 under former HC Mark Stoops. Hale also points out UK maintained base ticket prices, but eliminated early renewal discounts and raised K Fund donation requirements for premium seating. With the SEC transitioning to a nine-game schedule that removes one home game in even-numbered years, Wildcats AD J Batt says he’s focused on enhancing the environment at Kroger Field to maximize home game attendance: "This is part of the listening and learning portion of the program. There’s certainly pieces of it, best practices that I bring from having been to a lot of different games at a lot of different stadiums all over the country. " (link)

Beemok Sports & Entertainment will host two outdoor college basketball events in tennis facilities this fall, beginning with the LinkU Invitational at Credit One Stadium in Charleston on September 27 and the CareSource Invitational at the Cincinnati Open site on October 7. SBJ's Irving Mejia-Hilario explains that to mitigate weather risks, organizers established indoor contingencies, limiting initial Charleston ticket sales to match the 4,500-to-5,000-seat capacity of backup venue TD Arena, while the Ohio event is using the 11K-seat Dayton Arena as a fallback. Beemok President Bob Moran says the Charleston event's 16 courtside suites sold out, and the Cincinnati event reached 88% capacity with suites 60% sold. Moran adds: "This is a year of testing. We measure our success in the experience that our fans have and the teams are going to have. We’re going to measure our success on hosting successful events where our fans are just having a great time and experiencing something they’ve never done before." (link)

We offer our deepest condolences to the ESPN community and the friends and family of college basketball analyst Chris Spatola, who passed away on Monday. (link)

ABC and ESPN swept the top five college football audiences of the weekend, led by LSU and Ole Miss drawing 10.9M viewers on ABC, according to Sports Media Watch's Jon Lewis. The matchup peaked at 13.7M viewers to rank as the second-most watched game of the season. The weather-delayed Florida State and Alabama broadcast delivered the weekend's second-largest audience with 7.01M viewers on ABC, while the conclusion shifted to ESPN2 and averaged 1.43M. Kentucky's victory over Texas A&M placed third, averaging 5.36M viewers across a full ESPN telecast and partial ABC simulcast. The noon window featured Georgia and Arkansas averaging 4.18M on ABC, followed by North Carolina and Clemson pulling 3.59M on ESPN. Fox secured its top audience on Friday night, averaging 3.03M viewers for Houston and Texas Tech, which surpassed ESPN's competing 2.34M for Miami (FL) and Wake Forest. (link); Full rundown. (link)

Ole Miss sold more than $900K in alcohol at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium during the Rebels’ win over LSU, according to Talk of Champions’ Brad Logan. (link)

With Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, Conn., currently undergoing renovations and unable to host, the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Oversight Committee has worked with local host Sacred Heart and facility management to move the 2027 NCAA Bridgeport Regional to the PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn., from March 25-28. (link)

The Kansas City Chiefs’ (NFL) Arrowhead Stadium is scheduled to host the Nebraska-Miami (OH) match-up to kickoff both teams’ 2027 college football slate, per SBJ’s Ben Fischer, who notes the game, originally slated for September 11 in Lincoln, was moved up to August 27 after the NCAA Football Bowl Division Oversight Committee began allowing schools to schedule games on Week 0. The Chiefs, who believe the current upheaval in collegiate sports is opening up new opportunities to host more frequent neutral-site games, are currently in talks with potential sponsors for the match-up. The facility last held a college game in 2025, when Cincinnati hosted Nebraska in the Battle Sports Kansas City Classic. (link)

Maryland baseball agrees to a partnership with Marucci to support the development of the Terrapins while strengthening the program's connection to the equipment brand. (link)

Arizona partners with the university’s Norton School of Human Ecology to launch an 18-unit undergraduate minor in Personal Brand and Money Management, leveraging existing curriculum to create a concentrated course of study that focuses on finances and professional identity. The deal represents the latest offering from UA Athletics' C.A.T.S. Program (Commitment to an Athlete's Total Success), a comprehensive student-athlete support services program that covers academics, student-athlete development, career placement, strength and conditioning, medical services and sports psychology. (link)

Semafor’s Burgess Everett with the latest from the Senate as the Protect College Sports Act pushes on: “The price for Senate Republicans to finish the college sports bill quickly this week might be a roll call vote on allowing NCAA athletes to organize. It could take all week for the Senate to process the bipartisan college sports bill. To speed things up, Democrats want amendment votes, most notably one that would allow college athletes to collectively bargain. The amendment, from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), would replace a portion of the bill that is neutral on employment status with Murphy’s College Athlete Right to Organize Act. … Murphy also has amendments that would subject coaches to the same transfer portal restrictions as athletes and protect athletes who report physical or sexual misconduct.” (link)

Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger refers to Sen. Chris Murphy’s (D-CT) amendment to replace a portion of the PCSA with his College Athlete Right to Organize Act as “an interesting proposal,” but notes “there are few if any bill changes expected. The last motion got 77 votes - 17 more than needed for passage, which is expected by Friday. There is little reason to compromise as expediting a vote isn't necessary. Context here matters. Because of the high procedural support - 77+ right now - detractors hold little leverage to push lawmakers to adopt or even vote on amendments. Time is the only real leverage point: Detractors can slow down the process to possibly push a final vote into early next week.” (link)

The Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics recently hosted an athletics panel discussion titled “College Athletics: It’s a Whole New Ballgame,” featuring Ole Miss AD Keith Carter, Yahoo Sports Senior Writer Ross Dellenger, and Mississippi Today Sports Columnist Rick Cleveland. The discussion centered on rising football roster costs, featured updates on the Protect College Sports Act and more. Key takeaways…

Athletic departments and conference offices are scrambling to restructure their 2027 nonconference football slates after the NCAA's approval of a permanent 14-week regular season schedule, per The Athletic's Scott Dochterman, as the calendar shift has moved next year’s kickoff to August 28, 2027 (Week 0). Here’s what you need to know…

Florida International inks a deal with sports technology company, PlayerU, to feature the company’s logo on FIU football helmets throughout the 2026 regular season. In addition, the AI-powered pickleball training and player-development platform will serve as a jersey patch partner of FIU tennis and golf, with its branding featured on competition uniforms throughout their respective seasons. (link)  

Le Moyne inks a deal with ForEDU to serve as the exclusive jersey patch partner for each of the Dolphins’ 20 Division I teams, starting this fall, with the intention of extending the agreement beyond the 2026-27 year. (link)

Learfield and Verizon’s Visible are collaborating on a new college athletics partnership across USC, Oregon, Minnesota and Rutgers designed to connect the all-digital wireless service with students, alumni and fans through branding, digital content and game-day experiences. The deal includes one of the first-ever corporate helmet bumper sponsorships with Minnesota football, an on-court logo placement with Oregon men’s basketball and back-of-end-zone branding with both USC and Rutgers football. (link)

West Florida inks a long-term deal to position Van Wagner as the exclusive multimedia rights and corporate sponsorship partner of UWF Athletics. (link)

Memphis has broken ground on Liza Wellford Fletcher Stadium, marking the official start of construction on the future home of the Tigers’ men’s and women’s soccer and track and field programs. Over the past two years, donors have surpassed the original goal for the Liza's Light University of Memphis Soccer and Track Stadium Fund by contributing more than $8.3M, which permitted the project to move forward. (link) 

Drexel highlights a number of facility upgrades completed this summer that are expected to have a wide-ranging impact benefiting individual sport programs, the entire student-athlete population and the greater university community. Cited projects include: a comprehensive renovation of the varsity weight room, thanks to the generosity of benefactor Dr. Hazam Maragah, that features significant infrastructure upgrades, enhanced lighting throughout the facility, the installation of new strength and conditioning equipment and a reimagined floor plan; the renovation of the Vidas Field House men’s soccer locker room to include new custom lockers, upgraded finishes, an enhanced audio system and a wall-mounted television for film study, match preparation and team meetings; newly resurfaced Vidas Athletics Complex parking lots to improve accessibility, traffic flow and overall appearance; a refreshed Buckley Field scoreboard; a complete Maguire Field turf replacement; the installation of new seating surfaces inside the Kline & Specter Squash Center; and more. Check out project photos. (link)   

Hawai’i has named the center court of the UH Tennis Complex after Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks Co-Founder/Attorney Rick Fried, following his gift of more than $100K to support the funding of scholarships, an AC, equipment upgrades and player development tools for the men’s tennis program. (link)  

UC San Diego’s men’s and women’s volleyball programs are set to unveil a new Taraflex court in LionTree Arena for the 2026-27 season, featuring a wave texture surrounding the center court with "Tritons" logo on both endlines and UCSD’s trident logo in the center. (link)

MIT (DIII) claimed the No. 1 spot among national universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, dethroning Princeton, which fell to No. 2. Harvard rated third and Yale was fourth, while Cal Tech (DIII) and Stanford deadlocked in fifth. Public university stalwarts Cal and UCLA tied for the No. 1 public school spot, with Michigan, Virginia and North Carolina rounding out the top five, respectively. Overall survey participation among ranked institutions dropped to 73% (down from 79% last year), though data was returned by 99 of the top 100 national universities and 98 of the top 100 national liberal arts colleges. A major category overhaul driven by the 2025 Carnegie Classification update shifted multiple institutions and allowed newly eligible specialized schools to enter the rankings. The set of ranking factors for this year’s edition had one alteration with postgraduate earnings by major replaced graduate indebtedness at 5% of the overall ranking formula. (link)

UTEP registered its second consecutive record fundraising year by bringing in more than $12M in revenue during FY26 to surpass its previous best mark (FY25) by over $4K. Spearheaded by the Miner Athletic Club, all-time highs were established in the number of gifts (9,917, a 45.9% increase) and donors (3,247, 20.7% increase), while major gifts of $25K-or-more climbed to a record 63. Overall, there were 16 commitments of $100K or more, including major gifts from Paul and Alejandra de la Vega Foster ($2.5M), Bob McFadden ($1M), Frank Sloan ($1M) and Tropicana Homes ($500K). Helping fuel the fundraising success were campaigns for Reach The Peak (Mountain West readiness and competitive success) and the Memorial Gym Renovation Project. (link)  

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association is adding a new “Elevate the Game Incentive” program to the 24th edition of its NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic, slated for February 11-14, 2027, at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. Made possible through a $100K donation from Tracy and John Sellers, all participating programs are eligible to receive allocations, ensuring equal access to incentives regardless of conference affiliation or 2026 performance. In addition to the tournament champion receiving $50K, there are more targeted incentives totaling $50K that will be distributed across three distinct award tracks: “Innovate” – rewards team statistical leaders (two offense & two defense); “Inspire” – presented to the program which best embodies sportsmanship, integrity and the mission of the NFCA; and “Coach” – presented in recognition of outstanding coaching performance, strategic execution and overall team leadership. National runner-up Texas Tech and fellow 2026 WCWS teams Tennessee, Mississippi State and Nebraska highlight the 18-team field. (link)

People & Places…
➤ Learfield welcomes back former company SVP for Corporate Strategy & Development/Fanbase Managing Director and recent Dude Perfect Chief Product Officer Matt Deimund as Chief Strategy Officer. In the new role, Deimund will handle corporate approach and search for growth across the company’s holdings, including its investment on AI development and related services. (link)
➤ Syracuse will hire Rock Entertainment Group SVP of Business Operations Chris Presson as Deputy AD/Chief Commercial Officer, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel. (link)
➤ Lafayette elevates Brian Winiarski from Assoc. AD to Senior Assoc. AD for Advancement. (link)
➤ Boise State promotes Asst. AD of Equipment Operations and Branding Matthew Sterling to Assoc. AD of Merchandise and Brand Operations. (link)
➤ The Fiesta Sports Foundation hires Wake Forest Sports Properties GM Banks Shepherd for its newly created role of VP of Partnerships. (link)
➤ Northwestern Assoc. AD for Sport Administration Jane Wagner has been named Chair of the Division I Softball Oversight Committee. (link)
➤ Athletes First is launching a new basketball division, led by agent David Mulugheta. (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!) Senior Director of Development, Athletics (Campbell University / Buies Creek, NC): A gift officer responsible for advancing athletic fundraising through major gifts, annual giving, & donor engagement while strengthening relationships that support the university’s mission & goals. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Director of Compliance (University of Michigan / Ann Arbor, MI): The Assistant Director of Compliance must be knowledgeable regarding NCAA rules and possess strong organizational skills and attention to detail. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Video Producer (University of Central Florida / Orlando, FL): The Video Producer is responsible for the planning, production, and execution of cinematic storytelling, promotional campaigns, and in-venue videoboard productions that enhance the brand of UCFAA. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Athletic Trainer - Men's Basketball (University of California – San Diego / La Jolla, CA): The University of California San Diego is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Assistant Athletic Trainer - Men's Basketball. 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.

Sr. Associate AD / Business Operations (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Blacksburg? Click HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Business Operations, Department of Athletics (R0009158) (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, 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.

Associate Athletic Director for Communications (University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley / Edinburg, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Athletic Director for Communications (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE.

Director of Fan Experience (Virginia Commonwealth University / Richmond, VA): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director - Athletics Marketing (Texas Christian University / Fort Worth, TX): 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.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities, Events, and Capital Projects (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Denton? Click HERE.

Sr. Associate AD / Business Operations (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Blacksburg? Click 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.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities, Events, and Capital Projects (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Denton? Click HERE.

Operations Coordinator for Athletics (Ball State University / Muncie, IN): More details 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

Olympic Sports, Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach (University of Maryland / College Park, MD): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): 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.