Bubba’ Contract extended with transition in 2026 to new role, NASCAR exec hired as Successor AD

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nycfan said:
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Bubba “… has agreed to a two-year contract extension through July 2029. He will remain in his current role until the summer of 2026 before transitioning to Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Athletic Director, a new forward-looking position reporting to Chancellor Lee H. Roberts that will allow Cunningham to focus his vast expertise on transformational University projects that will position the University and Carolina Athletics successfully for the future.

… Further looking to adapt the Department to needs related to revenue share, NIL and commercial strategy, Carolina has hired current Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing President Steve Newmark, a respected NASCAR leader with experience in sponsorships, marketing, team operations and contract negotiations, as Executive Associate Athletic Director. Newmark will report to Cunningham and initially focus his attention on strategies tied to revenue-driving initiatives, particularly related to UNC's Football and Men's and Women's Basketball programs, before transitioning to the Director of Athletics role in the summer of 2026.…”
 
looks like a pretty good hire. chapel hill guy, well educated, lots of SEC and sports business world connections.

seems to be a bit of a statement of intent for the future of the UNC AD.
 
4thgenheel said:
looks like a pretty good hire. chapel hill guy, well educated, lots of SEC and sports business world connections.

seems to be a bit of a statement of intent for the future of the UNC AD.
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Yep. Especially the SEC connections and experience in building sponsorships, marketing, contracts in pro sports, etc. The future of college sports lies in it becoming a professional league with all that entails - corporate sponsors, major marketing and ad campaigns, signing paid players, etc. I personally hate it, but since that's where college sports is clearly going at least we're being proactive about it I suppose, and in that sense it's certainly a good hire, and a practical one.
 
Wow, truly a new era in UNC athletics. Roberts isn’t messing around.

New AD = HD on the clock
 
I’ll say this for UNC, and I’m not sure whether it is a good thing or a bad thing, but UNC appears to be leaning all in on the professional model. Hopefully it works out – I’ve got my skepticism that trying to merge the professional “revenue generating at all costs” obsession of professional sports with all of the nuances and politics of colleges and universities will actually work out in the long run. But I do think that IF the goal moving forward is going to be to squeeze every last revenue drop out of every last possibly nook and cranny (and person), then might as well hire someone whose job that was in the private sector.
 
Every time I sse that Lee Roberts is still spending a lot of time on athletics and generic expansion I feel good
Please Lee just stay out of Academics. Remember you have experts for that-you are a Finance bro-go for that
 
True, but this turns up the heat a bit. Plus, this hire suggests to me that we’re going the new arena route, meaning we need a hyper successful program.
 
i think we were already definitely going the new arena route too but agree that this is certainly a forward-thinking hire.
 
IMO, I don’t think anyone should have the misconception that the AD and Chancellkr at UNC, regardless of who they are and what their background is, isn’t completely controlled on a ball and chain by the big donors and by the BOG. Hubert Davis is on the hot seat if and when the donors say he is. (And hopefully with having spent $14 million on our roster for this season, he’s in a put up or shut up type scenario).
 
So he is the second Class of '89 Chapel Hill kid to be an AD in the ACC. John Currie at Wake is also class of '89 from Chapel Hill. Anyone know what high school Steve went to?
 
Calheel said:
So he is the second Class of '89 Chapel Hill kid to be an AD in the ACC. John Currie at Wake is also class of '89 from Chapel Hill. Anyone know what high school Steve went to?
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In 89 there was but one Public High School in Chapel Hill. The Real Chapel Hill High
Same one The Governor and AG of NC went to ..
 
mpaer said:
In 89 there was but one Public High School in Chapel Hill. The Real Chapel Hill High
Same one The Governor and AG of NC went to ..
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Yes, but kids also went to Durham Academy, Carolina Friends School, and boarding school. So unless I break out my Hill Life from a closet somewhere, I don't know if he actually went to Chapel Hill High School. I know Currie is a CHHS guy.
 
Calheel said:
Yes, but kids also went to Durham Academy, Carolina Friends School, and boarding school. So unless I break out my Hilllife from a closet somewhere, I don't know if he actually went to Chapel Hill High School. I know Currie is a CHHS guy.
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oh yea
 
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