D1.ticker - News from Saturday, February 11, 2017

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An early slotting to the Top 16 seeds for the NCAA MBB Tourney was announced yesterday for the first time ever. Villanova, Kansas, Gonzaga & Baylor were pegged as #1 seeds. Michigan State AD & selection committee chair Hollis: "While the committee has conducted this orientation meeting for several years, the new element of publicly releasing our top 16 teams significantly added to the discussions this week. If nothing else, this week’s meeting will help us prepare for the next month, perhaps more so than before. We had terrific conversations about these 16 teams, plus others such as Cincinnati, Creighton, Purdue and Wisconsin, who were on the verge of being a first quadrant team. This was a productive and useful exercise, but now the committee can get back to the work we started November 11 and continue evaluating all possible tournament teams." (link); Yahoo's Forde has some follow-up thoughts, including, "If there is one set of rankings that aligns most closely with the committee’s thinking to this point, it’s the dowdy old RPI – a metric that has been assailed in recent years as flawed and out of date bears closer resemblance to the committee’s top 16 than does the Pomeroy Ratings or the human polls (AP and USA Today). Eleven of the 16 teams are within three spots of their RPI ranking. The only extreme outlier from the RPI is West Virginia, which is No. 14 with the committee and No. 33 in the RPI." (link); NCAA Director of Media Coordination/Statistics Worlock via Twitter: "Vast majority of reaction was positive but couple people out there would be unhappy with any results. Not sure how some can be so miserable." (link); Another person who would know a thing or two about Tourney selections is former NCAA EVP Shaheen, who also chimed in via Twitter, "Bracket Preview done well: @MSUAD shows why he's top-shelf. Solid context; insightful, preview of March, interesting picks." (link)

The Arizona Daily Star's Hansen writes, "My two cents: Expect Wildcats' next AD to preach stability." Points to recent comments by USC AD Swann, who noted the loss of institutional knowledge when there's significant staff turnover that follows a new AD. "You lose the bridges and all the relationships people have from our development people with our alumni base. So, really, I’m the new guy on the job learning from them, looking to see how things are structured, looking to see if I’m going to want to do some of these things a little differently. But that’s it." Hansen thinks the new AD at Arizona would be wise to heed Swann's advice & notes that previous UofA bosses Byrne, Livengood & Dempsey did not overhaul their staffs upon arrival. No real mention of search process progress, though Hansen uses the names of Houston AD Yurachek & Texas A&M Deputy AD Rempe as examples of the type of leaders who could be next in Tucson. (link)

San Jose Mercury News' Wilner keeps pointing to the rising conference distribution disparities across 'Power 5' leagues & here's where he gets some of the Big Ten's future numbers - the presentation deck from Wisconsin's 2017-18 budget. Chalk full of interesting data points as the Badgers propose to work off a $132.594M bank next fiscal year. $51.216M is expected to come from the league office, thanks to TV, bowl game, NCAA & other monies. The next largest items are ticket sales at $29.78M & fundraising at $22.08M. The Badgers will look to push $10.954M back to campus, $5.804M of which is from the Big Ten Network. From an expense standpoint, salaries & benefits of $53.020M, operating costs of $44.834M & debt service of $11.365M are some of the largest bills expected to be paid. (link)

Arkansas State's FY16 budget was up to $43.1M, a sharp increase of $14M from FY15 & a healthy $26.8M jump from FY13. AD Mohajir says it's all about Red Wolves fans & supporters as "you'd don't grow with state allocated funds." The largest chunk of the bump went toward facility projects as $11.2M was spent on the Centennial Bank Stadium expansion & $1.9M on enhancements for the Convocation Center. The upgrades at FB allowed for $1.6M in premium ticket sales, overall parking & concessions revenue grew from $1.21M to $3.56M. Debt service of $1.07M was paid in FY16 & Mohajir still has an eye on a north end zone expansion with more club options & an operations building. More financial data included. (link)

Fresno State AD Bartko: "The math is not that complicated. If we lose that revenue and it keeps going down, the budgets for all our sports will go down." "That revenue" is ticket purchases, which have decreased in each of the past five years, moving from the second to the fourth largest funding source for the Bulldogs. In 09-10 the total ticket haul was $6.76M versus last year's tally of $4.31M. University support has filled the void & then some, increasing from $5.1M to $13.6M for the same comparative window. Bartko points to FB crowds that are down by 10K ("That has to be a mixture of our longtime loyal fans and new fans"), a coming renovation to Bulldog Stadium to make it more fan friendly & challenges nationwide with attendance. "Football revenue drives our department – it does anywhere you go. We’re putting a huge investment in and we want our fans back. It’s time now. It’s time to get it get it back to where the Red Wave is back in the stadium." More. (link)

Media got to tour Oregon's Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center for the first time after staff moved into the space last Fall. Of note, "The flooring isn't simply rubberized, but inset with hundreds of individual laser-cut wing-patterned cutouts. In the hallways, the lighting changes throughout the day to mimic the conditions outside. Mariota is famously reserved and keeps a low-profile. Now, if a visitor raises a cell phone to take a photo of the lobby ceiling, an image of the quarterback emerges from a mosaic of backlit flying Duck logos." Nap pods, lucha libre masks, six washers & dryers, GPS sensors & a focus on data are all additional pieces of the story. (link)

A quick search of where Snapchat's Spectacles vending machine has been pops up results of Seattle, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Big Sur, Catoosa, Oklahoma, New York City, Los Angeles & Florida State's campus. Yesterday, the can't-miss yellow box landed outside of Michigan Yost Ice Arena where the Wolverines were hosting rival Michigan State. (link)

presented by Anthony Travel

The story of the Athletics audit at Utah keeps bubbling. This time it's state Speaker of the House Hughes defending the process, which he says was "to establish a proper balance in the university’s hierarchy system between university President David Pershing and athletics director Chris Hill, and to ensure that no department within a state-run university was 'untouchable.'" More from Hughes, including these eye brow-raisers, "I thought it became appropriate to try to figure out what’s really going on with the athletic director. Do we have a university president that’s running the school? Is he the sheriff in town or not? The performance audit was meant to do that. […] Before this audit there was the question of who is the sheriff in town, and I really think that was legit. I think there is no doubt now that President Pershing is the president of the University of Utah and that he is the sheriff in town. […] You won’t have very disparate public statements of where the university is heading and how they’re going to conduct themselves coming from a president and an AD, like we had before. I think everybody is together, everybody sees it, and I think that’s a good thing." (link)

Florida MBB HC White has his Gators at 20-5 (10-2) after yesterday's win over Texas A&M & looks to be well poised for a strong March run. As noted above, UF was part of the NCAA's Top-16 seeds released yesterday & White commends Executive Assoc. AD for External Affairs Hill for building a really solid schedule. White: "...credit him for our schedule. Just a bunch of really good opportunities. Our numbers are really good because of the neutral-site stuff. Credit our administration for wanting to re-do this (arena). The computers like us again." (link)

Central Michigan Baseball's new Performance Development Center is open & getting rave reviews. Indoor space for four hitting or pitching bays gives the Chips a quality alternate space when the weather isn't cooperative. $2M overall price tag, $1.8M of which has already been raised, per AD Heeke. HC Jaksa: "In the landscape of baseball at the Division I level, facilities are very important. A lot of work went into this. We had a vision of what we wanted, and then we received some very generous donations to help with that vision. There are so many advantages with this, and recruiting is a big part of that. This is one more example of how CMU strives to provide the best for student-athletes." (link)

Sticking with Baseball, don't forget that Oakland AD Konya is about to embark upon a "grand experiment" of having co-HCs lead his program. Co-HCs Kaline & Healey are of similar ages, which Konya says is part of what he believes are the right ingredients for success with such an alternative model. Kaline: "We’ve already gotten to know each other well on the personal and professional levels, and it’s not going to be a problem." Healey: "We’ll be like any other staff that gets together and makes a decision. It’s usually how it works with assistants input anyway. It won’t be an issue." (link)

Waco Tribune opinionist Whitaker: "Baylor regents taking baby steps in transparency, but much more is needed." Key passage: "All things considered, regent leadership has nothing to lose by showing up at the Baylor Line Foundation’s Wednesday town-hall meeting at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame to explain matters with conviction, resolution and guts, even if it means debating attorney and Baylor donor John Eddie Williams, president of Bears for Leadership Reform and the man for whom the football field at McLane Stadium is named. Sadly, there’s no indication any regents are ready to show that sort of leadership — the sort that relies on an ability to make a compelling and articulate case for one’s actions, the sort that highlights confidence in decisions made and steps taken. It’s one thing to make one’s case in a legal filing, another to step before fellow alumni to set matters straight." More. (link)

The NBA's launch of it's own eSports league, alongside NBA 2K maker Take Two Interactive, is a development I probably haven't covered well enough. Seems pretty pertinent, especially given that each NBA franchise will operate a five-person team with some of the same trappings of it's normal on the court squad, including a combine, training camp, regular & post-seasons. NBA VP for Global Partnerships Holt believes there's interest to be brewed up on both sides of the table for fans & non-fans alike. But, here's likely the real angle: "It’s also a chance to reach gamers more broadly. Market research firm Newzoo estimates that competitive video gaming will be a $1 billion industry by 2019, and basketball executives and players have been early adopters." Begs the question of how eSports - and now specifically sports-based eSports - may fit into the NCAA structure, if at all. (link)

Louisville MBB HC Pitino had some interesting comments on why he's implemented curfews for his student-athletes, a high-profile topic here in the Derby City after key performers Adel & Mathiang were suspended last week in a loss to Virginia after staying out too late. "We’ve got to make sure that nothing (bad) happens in this program right now. We’re on guard. ... You see all the incidents going on in life right now – not just basketball – it’s dangerous out there. It really is, in society today. It’s very dangerous in Louisville, relatively speaking to the population. ... We tell our players to go out and have good clean fun, enjoy themselves. But we’ve got to be really, really careful right now with what’s going on out there." Suppose I need to read more local news to have a full understanding of Pitino's views. (link)

Mile High Sports columnist Light reviews how he believes Colorado brass could have better handled the Tumpkin situation. Light's argument boils down to: "In cases of domestic violence, rape or suicide, failure to report can be the difference between life and death. It may seem easier said than done, but that’s a responsibility of the job as a mandatory reporter. And if that’s a part of the job you’re unwilling to do, there are countless others equally as qualified who are willing. Furthermore, if the University of Colorado failed to provide Mike MacIntyre that training or comprehensive understanding of that obligation, they are equally responsible for mishandling this situation." More. (link)

San Diego State AD Wicker indicates the Aztecs have moved more than 1,200 new season FB tickets since the announcement of the NFL's Chargers move to Los Angeles. Wicker: "The Chargers leaving, yeah we’re sad. But we’re San Diego. We’re going to support our teams." Former Chargers All-Pro center Hardwick (Purdue): "I just woke up one morning and realized I had my feet underneath me. It was a beautiful day like it usually is in San Diego. I was out for a walk and realized what a vibrant community we still have here. To me, this is a launching-off point for the city of San Diego. We are going to land on our feet. We’re going to be completely fine." (link)

Watch: Interesting six-minute recap of San Jose State's launch of the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change, which got rolling late last month. NFL Hall of Famer & former stand-out Syracuse student-athlete Brown: "It's not what you talk about. It's about what you can put into order & take action in making things better for those who can't make things better for themselves." Really quality use of six minutes. (link)

Axios' VandeHei & Fischer pen on some troubling statistics around attention spans & how the changing media landscape has led to all sorts of unintended consequences. This will really make you think (at least for a second): "On average, we check our phones 50 times each day — with some studies suggesting it could [be] three times that amount. We spend around 6 hours per day consuming digital media. As a result, the human attention span has fallen from 12 seconds to eight seconds since 2000, while the goldfish attention span is nine seconds. And we just mindlessly pass along information without reading or checking it. Columbia University found that nearly 60 percent of all social media posts are shared without being clicked on." More, including Google & Facebook being key culprits as they dominate mobile traffic, 62% of news is consumed via social & 68% of adults don't trust the news they read. Core argument: "There is more good information than at any point in humanity, but it's harder than ever to find and trust." (link)

Also Noticed: Alabama Softball HC Murphy has opened the 2017 campaign with four straight wins & may become the next HC for USA Softball. (link); A key & different metric Twitter wants us to keep in mind for its growth story moving forward is Daily Active Users (DAUs), not Monthly Active Users (MAUs). The former grew by 11% in Q4. (link); MLB Commish Manfred says the game's relationship with Disney & BAMTech is one key reason his league is setup for future success. (link); Ford bought an artificial intelligence startup for $1B. The race for autonomous driving continues. (link); Drones won't be delivering packages anytime soon, per UPS & Amazon. (link); If you had any doubts that Snapchat intends to further disrupt the TV ecosystem, you should probably know it has inked a deal with A&E for original, non-scripted programming to be shown on the growing social media platform. (link); Apple boss Cook on the upside of augmented reality (AR), "I regard it as a big idea, like the smartphone. The smartphone is for everyone, we don't have to think the iPhone is about a certain demographic, or country or vertical market: it’s for everyone. I think AR is that big, it’s huge. I get excited because of the things that could be done that could improve a lot of lives. And be entertaining." (link); The San Francisco Giants hosted a Game Night on Facebook Live. Looks interesting. (link)

Baseball season is a week away & here's a good listen for your weekend with Campbell AD Bob Roller. As you may recall, Roller's Camels recently had significant success under former HC Greg Goff, now the skipper at Alabama, which leads into a discussion about the necessary skill of identifying & hiring HCs at the mid-major level. Roller also provides feedback on how Coastal Carolina's National Championship on the diamond last season has others around the nation focused on high-level Olympic sport success, CU's upgrades on the Baseball scheduling front, changes he's witnessed in the overall marketplace of college athletics in the past two decades & lots more. Listen by clicking the link. - link (length - 13:24)

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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)

Assistant Athletics Communications Director (Purdue University / West Lafayette, IN): Responsible for communications for Volleyball and Softball sports. All applicants must apply online at: Purdue University is an EA/EO, affirmative action employer. More details HERE.

Senior Associate or Associate Athletic Director (Tulane University / New Orleans, LA): Primary responsibilities include managing revenue generation. Participate in the development of departmental goals, provides daily oversight, leadership, and management of the units under supervision. More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director - Student Services and Sport Administration (University of Delaware / Newark, DE): Responsible for collaborating w/team members on all facets of sports admin for UD’s 21 varsity athletics programs & the successful leadership of the Student Services & Career Services. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Business Operations (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): Provide a broad-range of fiscal activities for the Department of Athletics. More details HERE.

Assistant AD for Budget and Finance (University of Minnesota - Twin Cities / Minneapolis, MN): The Assistant AD of Budget/Finance serves as a leader to oversee/direct the daily operation and administration of the athletic budget/finance and travel operations with the budget and finance team. More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director, Ticket Sales and CRM (University of Arizona / Tuscon, AZ): Oversee ticket sales, operations, customer experience for all ticketed sports; customer/donor database and CRM program; and coordinate fundraising efforts with Development. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Business Operations (University of California, Riverside / Riverside, CA): The Assistant Director of Business Operations serves as the travel, purchasing and accounts payable manager for UCR Athletics. Please complete online application by 2/8/17. More details HERE.

Director of Development (University of South Carolina Upstate / Spartanburg, SC): Responsible for major gifts, planned gifts and annual fund support designated for the benefit of the Upstate Athletics facilities, programs and student-athletes. USC Upstate is an AA/EOE institution. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Finance, Administration and Planning (Rutgers University / New Brunswick, NJ): Reports to AD, dotted line reporting to EVP for Finance and Administration. Provides departmental budgetary planning and fiscal forecasting, and strategic vision/ongoing administration of comprehensive business analytics program. Oversees strategic planning, administers HR management for Department’s 220+ FT employees including recruitment, appointment, compensation and evaluation. More details HERE.

Director, Corporate Sales (Play By Play Sports LLC / Hockey East Sports Properties / Wakefield, MA): Seeking to hire an entrepreneurial, proactive, sports sales and marketing executive in greater Boston area as Director of Sales for Hockey East Sports Properties (HESP), located in Wakefield, MA. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director - Marketing and Fan Development (University of Alabama / Tuscaloosa, AL): Oversee the development and implementation of strategic marketing plans for the Athletics Department that utilize innovative and collaborative efforts to engage Crimson Tide fans worldwide. More details HERE.

Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach (University of Wyoming / Laramie, WY): The University of Wyoming has an immediate full-time opening for the Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach position. More details HERE.

Sports Law & Business Lecturer (Arizona State University / Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law / Phoenix, AZ): Lecturer will teach 4-6 courses on general sports law as it applies to high school, collegiate, professional sports; will advise JD students on sports research papers. Other duties as assigned. More details HERE.

Graphic Designer (The University of Delaware / Newark, DE): Supports areas across the athletic department. This individual is responsible for creating print and digital promotional materials for athletic teams, and areas within Athletics. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development, Athletics (The University of Akron / Akron, OH): The University of Akron, a NCAA Division I institution and proud member of the Mid-American Conference, is now accepting applications for an Assistant Director of Athletics Development / Z-Fund. EEO/AA Employer/Veterans/Disabled. More details HERE.

Director of Corporate Partnerships (American Baseball Coaches Association / Greensboro, NC): The ABCA Director of Corporate Partnerships will oversee sales and execution of all sponsorships. The ABCA has grown to more than 8,300 member coaches and 5,000 attending the annual convention. More details HERE.

Development Officer - Cowboy Joe Club (University of Wyoming / Laramie, WY): Responsibilities include direct involvement with the annual fund drive; game day parking operations/enforcement; premium seating; assisting with auctions, golf tournaments, outreach activities. More details HERE.

Part-time Ticket Sales Representative, Intercollegiate Athletics (Ball State University / Muncie, IN): Market and sell full seasons, partial seasons, group tickets, and mini ticket plans, through outbound sales activities for all ticketed sports. EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics (California State University - San Bernardino - CSU / San Bernardino, CA): The Athletics Director is a member of the Div of Student Affairs Sr Management Team. The position directs and administers intercollegiate athletics. Please visit hrd.csusb.edu for more information. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics (Long Beach State University / Long Beach, CA): Long Beach State University (LBSU) invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Athletics. LBSU Athletics is in Division I in the Big West Conference. More details HERE.

Manager, Talent Management (The University of Delaware / Newark, DE): Responsible for fostering a commitment to diversity & inclusiveness throughout the org. incl but not limited to, staffing & programming. Create, execute, evaluate comprehensive Talent Mgmt prog. More details HERE.

Marketing and Promotions - Graduate Assistant (Ball State University - Muncie, IN): BSU opening for Marketing and Promotions G.A. 2017 fall semester. Admission to a BSU graduate program is required. Weekly commitment includes office hours as needed, staffing sporting events: weekends/evenings/holidays. More details HERE.

Executive Director, Athletics Development (Syracuse University / Syracuse, NY): Syracuse athletics is seeking an executive to lead all development activities for the athletics program, including direct oversight of the Orange Club. This will be a key senior leadership position. More details HERE.

Assistant Men's Soccer Coach - Goal Keepers (Appalachian State University / Boone, NC): Assist the head coach in the development and management of all facets of a NCAA Division I soccer program. More details HERE.

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