Athletic Departments
April 3rd, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisThe facilities arms race has been discussed in this space in the past, largely in highlighting the growing emphasis schools are placing on state-of-the-art resources. It is a primary way that universities are differentiating...
Athletic Departments
March 20th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisAs an athletic department, arguably the most important and challenging task is hiring the correct people. From coaches to trainers to staff, making selections for positions is an imprecise science that has substantial stakes in...
Athletic Departments
March 13th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisThis past week, Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson met with presidents and ADs from his conference, in part to discuss the late start times of Mountain West athletics. The example cited most recently was the 9:30pm start...
Athletic Departments
March 6th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisAt this point in the NCAA men’s basketball season, the field for the end-of-season NCAA tournament is becoming clearer with each passing day. One major surprise this year is the probable inclusion of Northwestern, which has...
Athletic Departments
February 27th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisFor big time college athletic programs, boosters are an invaluable and unavoidable resource. When looking at the financial breakdown of top athletic departments, booster donations comprise a substantial chunk of their income. For...
Athletic Departments
February 20th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisThe University of Tennessee still does not have an AD to replace outbound Dave Hart, and it has hired a search committee to assist with the transition. Perhaps that was money incoming chancellor Beverly Davenport could have...
Athletic Directors
February 13th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisFor new AD hires, there is oftentimes the tendency to immediately changeover personnel, bringing-in people from the outside to staff the department. These could be people the AD worked with in prior stops or brand new people...
Athletic Departments
January 30th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisIn a great look inside an athletic department, New Mexico’s Associate AD for Communications Frank Mercogliano wrote an article for the Lobos’ website outlining the value of senior student-athlete exit interviews. Not just...
Athletic Departments
January 23rd, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisThe 11th-oldest college postseason bowl game, the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, recently lost its primary sponsor, Camping World, for the 2017 season. Citing a downturn in television ratings the past two years in...
Athletic Departments
January 16th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisJeremy Crabtree of ESPN posted an interesting article this past week about a little-discussed and probably-overlooked amendment to a college football recruiting overhaul being proposed and voted-on in April. In the piece,...
Athletic Departments
January 9th, 2017 | by
Francis GiknisThis past week, a great deal of media attention was directed towards the national championship game for the FBS division of college football. During player interviews, Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware made headlines with his...
Athletic Departments
December 29th, 2016 | by
Francis GiknisThis is the season for holiday miracles and resolutions for the coming year, and I think I’ve determined what is at the top of my list for 2017. As college fantasy sports become more commonplace and I grow preferential to NFL...
Athletic Departments
December 12th, 2016 | by
Francis GiknisThe NCAA regulates text messages, emails, phone calls, donor contributions, and a myriad of other ways for coaches to entice a recruit. Athletic departments host massive recruit-centered weekends, and sometimes the events can...
