D1.ticker - News from Monday, March 6, 2017

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New 1.Question Below: Jeremy Sharpe // Arizona // Assoc. AD for Communication Services (Part I)

Ole Miss: The media's quest to get their hands on the latest Notice of Allegations from the NCAA results in a dead end, so far, as the Rebels say they do "not possess or retain [a] copy." CBSSports.com's Solomon reasons: "It might have been shared by NCAA through a secure website. That's one way around open-record requests." (link, link); Former FB OC Werner, who was essentially fired by HC Freeze, speaks out: "I have worked for 16 head coaches in my career and I ranked them 1-16 on who talked more about doing things the right way, who is encouraging and demanding the staff all the time to make sure they are abiding by NCAA rules, who is the stickler for compliance and who preached to his staff constantly about the importance of compliance, Hugh Freeze is number one. He would say if you break a rule, it would hurt every family in that room and that was not something he was willing to risk. I can’t even tell you who number two is. Whoever it was, was 100 times less consistent and adamant about compliance than Freeze. No other coach I have worked for has ever come close to talking about doing things the right way as much as Hugh did." (link)

DePaul AD Lenti Ponsetto was part of a Women in Sports panel last week & had this to say about how the sports industry can change on the top of gender balance, "It’s got to be men and women in board rooms who grew up in the Title IX era, and having felt the oppression – and in some cases, a lot – have to be put in decision-making positions, where they change the culture and make the shift happen." More, "Sometimes, I think as women we’re a little bit sheepish about asking someone to come out and watch us play, and watch us perform because just in case it doesn’t go real great or it’s not spectacular, I’m going to have to own that and be responsible for it." Blue Demons WBB HC Bruno, Chicago Bulls VP of Marketing & Branding Huerta & other key Chicago sports voices were involved. (link)

Arkansas Chancellor launches a new Discovery, Creativity, Innovation & Collaboration Fund that in time will pour $1M into new projects on the Fayetteville campus & it is SEC Network monies that will make up the lion's share of the cash. AD Long: "The University of Arkansas continues to improve its academic reputation due to the exceptional faculty whose teaching, research and creativity is changing our state and the world. As part of our continued partnership and investment in achieving our institution’s academic mission, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is proud to be in position to share a portion of our television revenues to help provide additional financial support to directly benefit our faculty in an effort to inspire new research, creativity and collaborative efforts on our campus." (link)

UC Riverside AD Smith Jones comments on MBB student-athlete absences that have been commonplace for the Highlanders this season, "We really have zero tolerance for anything that’s going to be discrediting what we’re trying to do as a program. It’s a privilege, not a pastime. It’s a team approach. We all have to be all-in, and (for) those who fall short of that, we really are trying to make sure we send the right message … If there’s a slap on the wrist here, then when they get out in the world what happens when they’re losing jobs, dismantling families? It’s tough out there. We’re trying to make sure we’re teaching them, and it’s a progression … if they don’t correct (their actions), we have to correct for them." On the drug-testing front, "We don’t have a problem compared to the (college athletics) landscape, but we want to have zero tolerance." (link)

Tennessee: Reasonable Knoxville media voice Rucker says he may have already been wrong in calling the hire of new Vols AD Currie a mistake. Notes his own career path of covering the UT beat at a very young age & challenges he could have handled along the way to the same evolution of professional stature that Currie likely went through at Kansas State. "You’re free to believe whatever you want, but I choose to believe Currie can be a better version of himself without losing the skills that made him good at his job in the first place." (link); Currie says the upgrade to Neyland Stadium needs to be sound enough for the facility to be around another 100 years. But, overall, "we're never finished on the facility front." (link); MBB attendance under second-year HC Barnes slipped to 13,637 from 14,233 against a Thompson-Boling capacity of 21,678. (link)

HB2: While many other cities around the state of North Carolina saw sporting events exit because of HB2, Asheville, of all places, continued its hosting duties of the Southern Conference hoops Tourneys that bring an estimated $3M to $4M in economic impact to the area. SoCon Commish Iamarino recalls gathering information from the city when HB2 started to come into play, reported back to league ADs in what ended up being the longest conference call in the group's history. Leaders around the city still hold differing views, but Iamarino is proud of the role his league plays in the process. (link); North Carolina Lt. Governor Forest was in Texas yesterday to support a similar bill in the Longhorn State, Senate Bill 6, says the economic impact talk from HB2 is "overblown." (link)

Legal: The Legacy Agency has filed a lawsuit against Cincinnati MBB HC Cronin for $206K in management fees for services dating back to 2006, Cronin's first year at UC. Since 2009, Cronin and UC have amended the coach's contract five times, most recently in 2014 which extended Cronin's term through March 26, 2018. Forbes reports that the problem may have arisen upon the departure of TLA principal and partner Jordan Bazant, Cronin's representative who left last year to join WME-IMG. (link); Former USC FB student-athlete Dawson is still pushing on the NCAA in his wage-and-hour suit. Believes the governing body has "no business" settling potential labor law claims, as it did with the $208M Alston case settlement. (link)

Notre Dame MBB HC Brey gets a big spread in Men's Journal under the title of "Most Underrated Coach in College Basketball." The magazine followed the "loosest coach in America" around for 48 hours while the Fighting Irish were suffering through a four game losing streak in the rugged ACC back in February and Brey showed off his trademark humor and personality while talking about the season and his 16 years in South Bend. On having to play second fiddle to FB at times: "Football pays a lot of bills here, and sometimes it marginalizes us. I know what I signed up for. I know where I’m at. I’m a big football fan, because when football is rolling, everybody is in a better mood." And on his loose demeanor on the sidelines: "They [the student-athletes] tie themself up in knots. It’s my job to untie the knots." (link)

Excellent long read from Deloitte's Johnson Vickburg & Christfort on a new way to think about workplace roles & interpersonal dynamics (feels a little like StrengthsFinder, but different). The pair introduce four personalities: Pioneers, Drivers, Integrators & Guardians. Pioneers "value possibilities, and they spark energy and imagination on their teams." Drivers "value challenge and generate momentum. Getting results and winning count most." Integrators "value connection and draw teams together. Relationships and responsibility to the group are paramount." And, Guardians "value stability, and they bring order and rigor." It's a really in-depth & solid piece...here's a key takeaway, "When a team’s makeup is lopsided, cognitive bias can creep in, often leading to “cascades.” Imagine trying to change the direction of a big waterfall. Without a feat of engineering, it would be impossible. That’s how a cascade works on a team: Once ideas, discussion, and decision making start flowing in a particular direction, momentum keeps them moving that way." More. (link)

U.S. Soccer unanimously elects Big East Commish Ackerman to its board of directors. Ackerman, who will serve a two-year term as independent director: "I'm honored and excited to join the USSF Board and look forward to working with (Prez) Sunil Gulati, Dan Flynn and others in the soccer community to help chart the sport's continuing growth at all levels in our country." Ackerman has also served as president of USA Basketball (2005-08) and was the inaugural president of the WNBA (1996-2004). (link)

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Baylor: Former Prez Starr releases "Bear Country," a book chronicling his six years at the helm of BU. In it, Starr indicates that his time as president may have been coming to a close irrespective of allegations which befell the FB program. "Quietly, I had been living on borrowed time. For nearly five years, the Board's leadership had worked to ease me out of the CEO role and slot me instead into the non-executive position of Chancellor, primarily a fundraiser. ... Although I relished the fundraising role, I had resisted the dramatic change in roles. No longer would I be placing my imprint, however modest, on the University." (link); Cable network Showtime is set to release DISGRACED, a documentary focusing on the 2003 murder of MBB student-athlete Dennehy. As CBS's Dodd points out, and as the trailer indicates, former MBB HC Bliss has agreed to speak on camera concerning the events. The doc will air on March 31. (link)

The Toledo Blade's Briggs pens a column taking exception to the MAC's 2017 FB schedule, which includes no Saturday games in November. Briggs recalls the atmosphere and attendance (30,147) of last year's Saturday matchup between Toledo and Bowling Green and considers whether it is worth it to sacrifice the interests of fans and student-athletes for the "whims of (ESPN) network executives in endless need of cheap programming." Acknowledging that weekday games have had a positive impact on recruiting and branding, Briggs adds that the estimated $10M per year brought in through the MAC's TV deal with ESPN is less than conference peers the Mountain West and AAC. "All we're asking for is a happy medium as the MAC hurtles toward the point of no return. ... At some point, you would hope the MAC considers its fans and negotiates some ground rules. But realistically, we all know how the conference would answer. 'What time?'" (link)

The Kansas City Star's Mellinger believes a Title IX investigation is needed at Kansas to clarify the handling of MBB & WBB student-athletes issues. Thesis: "The athletic department’s bungling has left a cloud hanging over the basketball program as the Big 12 Tournament opens this week in Kansas City, the kickoff to a month when college basketball has the nation’s sports attention. Kansas athletics has, at best, allowed a significant image problem to grow and take hold based on slow action and administrative missteps. At worst, it has a more systemic and troubling problem of protecting male athletes by unfairly and unequally punishing female athletes." More. (link)

HC Notes: Florida WBB HC Butler exits after 10 seasons. Due $475K, though it could be reduced due to mitigation. (link, link); Another WBB HC change in the state of Florida as FAU boss Lewis-Jay departs after five campaigns, which included a 0-18 C-USA mark this year. (link); RPI AD McElroy will hire a new Men's Hockey HC. (link); Utah State WBB HC Finkbeiner extended through 2019-20. (link); San Diego State MBB HC Fisher will sun in Fort Myers Beach for a while before deciding if he'll be back next season. (link); Yahoo's Forde points to sources who tell him Washington AD Cohen will retain MBB HC Romar & that Ohio State MBB HC Matta will be back in Columbus. Uncertainty surrounds Georgia MBB HC Fox. (link); Interesting profile on a coach I've long thought we'd see as a collegiate HC one day as former Butler MBB stand-out Nored leads the NBDL's Long Island Nets. (link)

Going In: Michigan State will invest $1.2M in Field Hockey's Ralph Young Field to install a new turf field, sprinkler system & a new video board. (link); Brick upgrades at Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium will be ready for the Spring FB Game on April 14, according to AD Bohn. (link); Cal State Northridge now has a Fueling Station & in due time all 17 Matador programs will make use of the addition. AD Martin: "The Matador Fueling Station will allow us to not only raise the bar in the Big West Conference, but it also addresses the nutritional and performance needs of our student-athletes like never before." (link)

TV: Outkick the Coverage's Travis goes in, again, on ESPN, this time around reports of the Worldwide Leader's plans to cut a substantial amount of budget around talent. (link); Travis takes his shtick to a whole other level as ESPN PR boss LaPlaca calls Travis' reporting "very inaccurate, click-chasing & irresponsible." Travis responds, "Thank you for retweeting it. Hopefully you won’t get fired soon." (link); Ad Age's Crupi continues his solid work, reviews the primetime ratings for broadcast channels & points out NBC's new hit 'This Is Us' as an outlier. Overall, Fox is the only outlet that has seen ratings raise, on average, in prime so far this season. (link); No matter what they're technically calling the effort, Facebook continues to search for TV-esque programming & one specific vertical mentioned by the Wall Street Journal is sports content. The intent is clear...earn more commercial ad dollars. (link)

Your weekly trio of interesting reads from behind SportsBusiness Journal's ivoried wall. The first on the new gift suite at the WBB Final Four, as well as gifts for student-athletes at all conference tourneys. Of note: Drones, Beats headphones, Oakley sunglasses, more. (link); The College FB Playoff is looking to consolidate lead-up events in Atlanta next year & has a RFP out for "a single event agency to manage the concert series and fan fest." Area dubbed the "championship campus." (link); From the NBA, but very interesting, as the Golden State Warriors look to be the first franchise to sell PSLs. Expected cost: $2K to $8K per, though not all locations in the new Chase Center will be included. (link)

New Georgia Tech AD Stansbury talked about the department's priorities at a recent Inform Georgia Tech event, which include putting the student-athlete first, implementing the long-standing Total Person Program, and being a key innovator in the space of college athletics. On realizing his dream to return to his alma mater after serving as the Yellow Jackets' Asst. AD for Academics from 1988 to 1995: "I’ve been on a 22-year walkabout. So much has changed, but the culture, the DNA, the constant commitment to excellence has not." On the importance of the Total Person Program, which he has implemented at each of the universities he's worked: "I consider it as important as a revenue-producing sport. That means it gets the same dedication and support we put into those programs." And on wanting to utilize the strengths of the university to be a key innovator in college athletics: "We want to be part of that excellence and consider ourselves the center for innovation in intercollegiate athletics. We want to incubate ideas with our faculty." (link)

Spectra by Comcast names Damron president of ticketing and fan engagement. In her new role, Damron, who previously served as COO of the division, will oversee operations, product and technology solutions and client satisfaction. CEO Butler calls Damron a "strong leader with unparalleled experience in our industry. Her expertise and vision touches the entire organization and drives Spectra's delivery of world-class solutions for our clients and their customers." Damron has also held leadership positions at Tickets.com, Buy.com and Paramount Studios. In addition to other promotions, the company has also named Lewis, a former administrator of Terrapin Sports Marketing at Maryland, CBS College Sports Properties, and Cardinal Sports Properties at Stanford, vice president of business development. (link)

Yahoo's Eisenberg posits that the MAAC's decision to move its MBB postseason tourney to the Times Union Center in Albany is at least partially to blame should Monmouth, the league's runaway regular season champ, miss the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. After losing to Siena in a road game during the tournament semifinals, Monmouth, Eisenberg contends, is the victim of "admirable intentions" gone wrong, as placing the top seed at a disadvantage in the postseason is "unwise since league champs typically have the best chance of winning an NCAA tournament game, bringing even greater revenue and exposure to the rest of the conference." More: "If either the Saints or Gaels go down meekly in the NCAA tournament, the MAAC will have nobody but itself to blame. It could have done everything possible to protect its most dominant and visible team, but it chose to prioritize ticket revenue instead." (link)

Now this seems like a great application of tech, as the NBA has announced the league will use virtual reality and other cutting edge technologies to "enhance the performance, training, development and recruitment of referees." The plans were made after new president of league operations Spruell, who oversees basketball and referee operations, conducted a six-month review of the officiating program. Spruell: "They [league officials] are doing a great job at it, but they can improve and that’s their mindset. It’s the way we go about relating to them as well as what programs are we putting in place to continue to make them better." (link)

Also Noticed: Duke/UNC MBB drew a 2.6 overnight on ESPN, best for a college hoops game this season on any network and best in the rivalry since 2012 (link); adidas unveiled its March Madness shoes and unis for Arizona State, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Nebraska, and Texas A&M (link, link); 5050 Central has partnered with Circle Media to aggregate data collected through the latter's Fan.Dex platform (link); Oregon paid former FB AC Reaves, who was arrested on DUII and other charges five days after his hire, $60K plus $3,750 for 26hr of work (link); In advance of opening its $220M stadium this June, Colorado State will play its spring FB game on campus at Lagoon Field, home of its Wome's Soccer program (link); Tulsa FB will play at Arkansas in 2018, making it 42 straight meetings in the series the Razorbacks have been the home team (link); Reports indicate Bank of America will finance the Oakland Raiders proposed $1.9B stadium in Las Vegas (link).

How do you prepare to announce the hire of a new Athletic Director? That's the general topic in this 1.Q with Arizona Associate Athletic Director for Communications Services, Jeremy Sharpe, who aided the behind the scenes process in the presentation of exiting Central Michigan Athletic Director, David Heeke, as the new boss in Tucson. Sharpe runs through the structure of how a number of parties at UA had their ducks in a row once the decision was made & the "controlled whirlwind" once the news broke, which, conveniently, ended up being on the same Saturday as hosting ESPN College GameDay for the MBB matchup with UCLA. More insight from Sharpe tomorrow. Listen by clicking the link. - link (11:21)

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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)

(NEW!) Marketing Graduate Assistant (University of Kentucky Athletics / Lexington, KY): GA will be responsible for assisting with day-to-day activities of the office which include creating and implementing marketing plans for assigned sports. More details HERE.

Accountant I (Oklahoma State / Stillwater, OK): OSU Athletic Accountant I This position will oversee, coordinate, develop and update fiscal operations of the Ticket Office and assist with the daily operations of the Athletic Business Office. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley / Edinburg, TX): Manage Department of Athletics compliance in accordance with NCAA, Conference and University rules, regulations and procedures. More details HERE.

Director of Ticket Sales (North Carolina State University / Raleigh, NC): The Director of Ticket Sales will make a #STATEment by hiring, training and leading a dynamic sales team in generating revenue, engaging fans and delivering first class customer service. More details HERE.

Director of Leadership & Career Development (Boston University / Boston, MA): Develop & implement a comprehensive program of leadership & career development designed for student-athletes.Coordinate activities for Leadership Academy, life skills programming, SAAC & other events. More details HERE.

Academic Coordinator (Football) - Student-Athlete Services (Bowling Green State University / Bowling Green, OH): Works with Student-Athlete Services to provide academic support to football team. Also assists with overall development of the student-athlete. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Annual Giving (WVU Foundation - Mountaineer Athletic Club (MAC) / Morgantown, WV): For more information, visit www.wvuf.org/jobs. More details HERE.

Director of Video Content Services (Oakland University / Rochester, MI): Run all aspects of athletics video services, including overseeing all ESPN3 broadcasts, creating hype videos and promotional pieces for marketing, and producing highlight packages for all sports. More details HERE.

Athletic Development/Leadership Annual Giving Officer (University of Toledo Foundation / Toledo, OH): This FT position is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting and closing prospective donors capable of giving at a defined gift level for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. More details HERE.

Associate Vice President, Director of Athletics and Recreation (University of New Haven / West Haven, CT): The DA will provide leadership and strategic direction in overseeing a very successful Division 2 program. Applications to hrdept@newhaven.edu. UNH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. More details HERE.

Assistant Director Annual Giving (Oklahoma State University / Stillwater, OK): Manage all aspects of strategic planning and staging of POSSE donor parking and shuttle routes on game days coordinates all other Athletics event parking. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director(Development and Alumni Relations (University of Pennsylvania / Philadelphia, PA): Direct and oversee all aspects of the fundraising program for annual, endowment and capital needs for division that comprises 33 varsity sports, club and intramural sports, and recreation programming. More details HERE.

Part-time Ticket Sales Representative (Ball State University / Muncie, IN): Market and sell sport tickets through outbound sales activities for all ticketed sports; work flexible hrs, including evenings, weekends and holidays. 20 hrs/wk. Commission available based on sales. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director for Fan Engagement (Baylor University / Waco, TX): View the full description: Associate Athletics Director for Branding and Creative Services. AA/EOE. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director for Annual Fund (Baylor University / Waco, TX): View the full description: Assistant Athletics Director for Annual Fund. AA/EOE. More details HERE.

Associate Director of Development for Athletics (University of Massachusetts Amherst / Amherst, MA): This position will manage components of the annual giving program for the athletics department. BA degree and 3-5 years of development experience required. To apply: carolyn.crowley@umass.edu. EOE. More details HERE.

Assistant Commissioner for Compliance (Big South Conference / Charlotte, NC): The successful candidate must demonstrate significant experience in Division I compliance, and strong knowledge of NCAA rules and compliance systems. More details HERE.

Associate Athletics Director for Branding and Creative Services (Baylor University / Waco, TX): View the full description: Associate Athletics Director for Branding and Creative Services. AA/EOE. More details HERE.

Associate Athletics Director for Resource Development (Baylor University / Waco, TX): Associate Athletics Director for Resource Development. View the full description: Associate Athletics Director for Engagement. More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director for Engagement (Baylor University / Waco, TX): Associate Athletics Director for Engagement at Baylor University. View the full position description: Associate Athletics Director for Engagement. AA/EOE. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Ticket Sales Center (Baylor University / Waco, TX): Assistant Director of Ticket Sales Center. View the full description: Assistant Director of Ticket Sales Center. AA/EOE. More details HERE.

Director 3 - Director of Ticket Operations (Southern Methodist University / Dallas, TX): The Director of Ticket Operations will oversee the day-to-day operations of the ticket office, game day management and all the details that pertain to achieving this office and departmental goals. More details HERE.

Director of Compliance (Boise State University / Boise, ID): This position will be the primary compliance administrator for sports as assigned and will help monitor all areas of compliance. Reports to the Associate Athletic Director/Compliance. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing and Strategic Communications (Rutgers University / New Brunswick, NJ): Reports to Deputy AD. Primary brand steward for Rutgers Athletics. Responsible for establishing a unified voice for all messaging, enhancing customer service, integrating marketing and communications teams, increasing revenue, enhancing the fan experience, and promoting 24 varsity sport programs. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services (Texas Tech University / Lubbock TX): Responsible for ensuring student-athletic academic success, retention, and graduation in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities. Req#ID 9989. Resume/Cover Letter. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability. More details HERE.

Associate AD Business Operations (New Mexico State University / Las Cruces, NM): Directs and oversees the planning, development, and administration of all business and commercial activities, programs, auxiliary enterprises, inventory control, and services of a large organization. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics (University of Nevada, Las Vegas / Las Vegas, NV): Reports to the President of the University, administers the overall athletic program, and provides strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for a 17-sport Division I FBS program. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development/Major Gifts Officer ICA (Miami University / Oxford, OH): Will advance the mission of Miami University by planning, organizing, and implementing strategies to increase the level of personal involvement & financial commitment of alumni and friends. More details HERE.

Assistant Director of the Duke Club - Annual Fund (James Madison University / Harrisonburg, VA): James Madison University is accepting applications for an Assistant Director of the Duke Club - Annual Fund to assist the Duke Club in efforts to reach annual fundraising goals. More details HERE.

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.

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