Jalen Brunson’s career:
• 2026 NBA Finals MVP and Champion
• 3 time All Star
• 3 time All-NBA Second Team
• 2 time NCAA Champion
• 2018 National Player of the Year
• No. 1 retired by Villanova
And he is still 29 years of age.
Build a statue.
Strategic Imperative in the Selection of Syracuse’s Next Athletic Director
The selection of Syracuse University’s next Athletic Director is not a routine administrative decision — it is a strategic inflection point.
College athletics is consolidating rapidly. Within the next several years, we are likely to see one or more super-conferences comprising approximately 60 institutions that will define the highest competitive and commercial tier of collegiate sports. Syracuse is currently on the margin of that ecosystem. The trajectory from here will be determined, in meaningful part, by this appointment.
The modern athletic department is no longer an amateur enterprise. It is a hybrid organization operating at the intersection of education, media, capital markets, and professional sports. It requires executive leadership capable of functioning as a CEO — with competencies across revenue generation, NIL structuring, brand monetization, media rights strategy, football and basketball operations, and organizational culture.
Syracuse’s historical conservatism at this pivot point has created a competitive lag. Meanwhile, peer institutions have accelerated their investment in professionalized leadership, NIL capitalization, and strategic athletic infrastructure. The window to respond is narrowing.
Importantly, Syracuse possesses one of the most accomplished alumni networks in the sporting world — individuals with championship-level experience in professional leagues, deep expertise in management evaluation, and substantial capacity to support NIL and commercial initiatives. That intellectual and financial capital should be integrated meaningfully into the selection process.
Leaders such as Scott Pioli, whose championship experience and recent advisory roles with major universities reflect precisely the professionalization now underway, represent the type of expertise that should inform this decision. The fusion of amateur athletics with professional operational models is not theoretical — it is the present reality.
This search requires:
•A broadened advisory lens
•Evaluators experienced in hiring and assessing top-tier executive management
•A rigorous review of each candidate’s strategic plan, particularly regarding football and basketball operations
•Clear articulation of NIL capitalization strategy and donor engagement
•A defined roadmap for media rights optimization and long-term conference positioning
The wrong selection risks more than underperformance. It risks donor disengagement in the NIL ecosystem, erosion of competitive relevance, and continued brand deterioration in what was once one of the most respected athletic programs in the country.
There is still time. But the margin for error is thin.
This is a moment to think wider, leverage the expertise that exists within the Syracuse community, and select a leader prepared to operate in today’s commercialized collegiate environment — not yesterday’s.
The stakes are real, and the consequences will be enduring.
#Bengals QB Joe Burrow on why he's playing tonight: "We're getting paid a lot of money to play a kid's game. I love playing. I just want to put on a show for the fans."
🚨BREAKING: ZYNS have been BANNED from all professional sports stadiums in Detroit including the #Lions Ford Field.
Detroit City Council approved this ordinance banning smokeless tobacco products including nicotine pouches.
Many fans and players are extremely angry about this.