Darrien

Entrepreneur

[Darrien @starr_lo]

🐺
#workhardplayhard

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

It’s rare that I’m in San Antonio for a reason other than being here for UTSA.

Today I’m supporting Wemby & the Spurs.

Cool to get an opportunity to attend an NBA Finals game.

Go Spurs Go!

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

The challenge for Tulane is that transparency is no longer being judged against the past.

It’s being judged against peers within their conference.

When fans see other ADs openly discussing roster budgets, fundraising targets, and competitive strategy, a traditional mid-year update can feel incomplete.

I believe that’s why some supporters are frustrated.

Based on my read of things, it’s not that people are frustrated from what’s in the letter, but mostly on what’s not in the letter.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

Memphis AD Ed Scott says Memphis plans to fully fund revenue sharing at the cap.

On its own, that’s noteworthy.

What makes it more interesting is that we’re starting to see a pattern emerge across the American. More schools are publicly signaling a willingness to make significant financial commitments to football and athlete compensation.

At some point, these individual announcements become a broader story about institutional ambition.

The schools that can consistently generate resources, align donors, and maintain investment levels over time are likely to have an advantage that extends well beyond a single recruiting cycle.

We’re still early in this era, but the financial positioning taking place right now could shape the conference for years.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

Caught up with FAU AD @Brian_E_White_ today.

A major theme: fundraising/resources.

I asked him directly how the Owls are positioned in the American Conference from a resource standpoint.

His answer backed up a lot of what you hear around the league.

FAU believes the donor base, financial backing from the institution and ambition are in place to make a major impact in the American Conference.

[Darrien @starr_lo]

RT @DarrienStarling: Caught up with FAU AD @Brian_E_White_ today.

A major theme: fundraising/resources.

I asked him directly how the Owl…

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

Based on everything you’ve heard publicly from university leadership, athletic directors, coaches, and donors…

Which American Conference program feels best positioned for the next 5 years?

Not just football.

The entire athletic department.

Who feels like they have a clear vision, a real plan, and the leadership to execute it?

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

Hit a milestone 700 subscribers on Substack today, on the road to 1k.

My goal is to be the number 1 college football newsletter on Substack, rooted in the American Conference.

That’s a lofty goal but I believe in the community we are building.

Tell a friend and help build this community!

Thank you all for the support 🙏🏾

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

The comments from the American Conference fan sentiment AD survey gave way more context on how fans actually feel about their athletic departments.

That’s where the real themes showed up: trust, communication, facilities, NIL, fundraising, and whether people believe their school has a real plan.

I broke it down school by school today on Substack.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

Here’s an update on what’s to come from my coverage of the American Conference:

-More from the fan sentiment AD survey
-Interview with FAU AD Brian White
-Live videos making a return?
-And much more!

Leave feedback in the comments to help my in-season coverage plan!

Thanks 🫡

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

There were hundreds of comments from the American Conference AD fan sentiment survey.

This week, I’ll explore many of them here on X, with a deeper breakdown coming on Substack. Don’t forget to subscribe.

Today, we’ll start with UTSA and UAB.

UTSA fan: “Better facilities and also be more transparent in their communication. It’s very hard to decipher what direction the university is going in and that might deter donations.”

UAB fan: “[issue with] Communication with fans. Feels like we are on our own right now. Would love to at least hear that he acknowledges that the programs are not where they should be.”

But both comments point to a bigger question across the American:

Do fans trust their athletic departments to explain the plan, raise the money, and move with enough urgency for this era?

[Fabrizio Romano @FabrizioRomano]

🔴🔵🥇 Vitinha, Man of the Match in Champions League Final.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

I was talking to one of my agent friends yesterday and he told me one of his clients cared heavily about which school could increase his follower count and social media exposure the most.

That’s a real recruiting conversation happening now. 🤯

Schools are competing on media reach and online visibility just as much as some of the traditional factors.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

Talked with FAU today and I’m genuinely excited about the direction of this project.

We’re going to dive into FAU’s vision for the future, creative financing in this new era, and how competitive they believe they are from an NIL/player acquisition standpoint within the American Conference.

I’ve heard the rumors for a while about FAU quietly sitting on significant resources behind the scenes. Looking forward to finally digging into what’s real, what’s strategy and how they see themselves positioning against the rest of the league.

Excited to connect with AD Brian White next week and help tell their story.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

For teams in the American, who’s doing the best job selling the vision of your athletic department and making fans feel connected enough to donate and buy in?

The AD?
The head coach?
Or someone else behind the scenes?

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

USF, UTSA & Temple each provide very different examples of how schools are thinking about stadium control moving forward.

My Substack article today shares how athletic departments across college football are increasingly chasing more control over the ecosystem surrounding football.

That includes parking, premium seating, sponsorship inventory, donor hospitality and year-round event opportunities tied to football.

[Darrien @starr_lo]

RT @DarrienStarling: An on-campus stadium is not automatically the better financial decision for every American school.

But the schools th…

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

FAU suing former players over NIL transfer agreements feels like a glimpse into where college football is headed.

Especially in the American Conference.

Schools and collectives are getting tired of paying players who leave after one season, so contracts are starting to include retention language, repayment clauses and transfer-related penalties.

This is bigger than FAU.

College football is slowly building a professional contract system while still pretending it’s operating somewhat like old college football.

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

My American Conference case study will proceed on with FAU being the next focus.

I’m connecting with athletic director Brian White on June 3rd to discuss his vision for the program, NIL/rev-share and much more.

I’m looking forward to connecting with FAU many supporters here!

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

The fan sentiment survey on American Conference ADs shows that fans are paying way more attention to the operation behind the games than administrations probably realize.

I've taken many calls today.😅

I'm dropping a podcast to share my thoughts exclusively for those who are subscribed to my Substack.

What do you all think of the survey results for your programs?

[Darrien Starling @DarrienStarling]

I just published the American Conference AD survey results on my Substack (free). I implore you all to subscribe if you follow a American Conference team for further insights.

Fans across the league weighed in on approval, communication, visibility, NIL strategy, facilities, fundraising and whether they believe their athletic department has a real plan.

Let's discuss here.