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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
North Carolina hires AD-in-waiting, Bubba Cunningham to take advisory role in '26
North Carolina announced a transition plan Tuesday that will allow athletic director Bubba Cunningham to work with his replacement-in-waiting through the end of the upcoming academic year before moving into an advisory role created for him. Hired in 2011, Cunningham will work directly with his replacement starting in August. RFK Racing president Steve Newmark was named executive associate athletic director effective Aug. 15. Newmark will succeed Cunningham as athletic director in the summer of 2026. Cunningham signed a contract extension through 2029. His new title will be senior advisor to the chancellor and athletic director, which a university news release said will "allow Cunningham to focus his vast expertise on transformational University projects that will position the University and Carolina Athletics successfully for the future." "As part of my last contract extension, I committed to working with University leadership on a succession plan that would positively position Carolina athletics and our 28 teams for the future," Cunningham said in the school-issued release. "I appreciate the opportunity to extend my contract and enhance my role in a way that will allow me to continue to support our outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff as we transition and navigate the changing athletics landscape. I am excited for the future." Since Cunningham took over as AD in 2011, the Tar Heels have won 24 national championships, participated in 11 college football bowl games, three College World Series and three men's Final Four runs. Newmark, who is from Chapel Hill, was on the advisory committee that selected head coach Bill Belichick to lead the football program. "Like many passionate Tar Heel fans, avidly following UNC athletics has represented a special and unique bond with my family and friends since childhood, and I recognize the role it serves for the University, alumni, community and broader fanbase," Newmark said. "I look forward to working with Bubba and the entire Tar Heel Nation to continue to elevate UNC's status as a premier brand in college sports." Newmark has a legal background and his resume includes work with the NCAA and Southeastern Conference when he was a partner at the Charlotte-based law firm Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson. The William & Mary and Virginia School of Law grad has been president of RFK Racing since 2010. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Bill Belichick hit with UNC bombshell just two months out from his first game as coach
The University of North Carolina is set to undergo a major change for the leadership within its athletic department just a few months before Bill Belichick coaches his first football game. UNC is re-organizing its athletic department - with Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham set to move to a new position. After assuming the job in November of 2011, Cunningham is entering his final year in his current role before transitioning to a job as Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Athletic Director next summer. The move was announced alongside the news that Cunningham agreed to a contract extension of two years. Replacing him will be Steve Newmark, the president of the NASCAR team Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing. RFK Racing is a division of the Fenway Sports Group - which also owns the Premier League 's Liverpool FC, MLB's Boston Red Sox, and the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. 'As part of my last contract extension, I committed to working with University leadership on a succession plan that would positively position Carolina Athletics and our 28 teams for the future,' Cunningham said in a statement. 'I appreciate the opportunity to extend my contract and enhance my role in a way that will allow me to continue to support our outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff as we transition and navigate the changing athletics landscape. I am excited for the future.' In the interim, Newmark will take on the role of Executive Associate Athletic Director - with the position reporting to Cunningham and initially focusing on strategies to generate revenue for the Tar Heels' football, men's basketball, and women's basketball teams. Cunningham came under fire earlier this year for a controversy in another role he held as the chairman of the selection committee for the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament - also known as March Madness. He was accused of favoritism when UNC was selected as one of the last four teams to make the NCAA tournament - prompting an investigation from the West Virginia attorney general into possible collusion. Cunningham denied being a part of the decision to include the school he works for.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Auto racing executive Steve Newmark will become North Carolina's athletic director in 2026
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham will transition next summer into a new advisory role to the school's chancellor, while hiring RFK Racing team president Steve Newmark as his eventual successor. UNC announced the moves Tuesday, which marked the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement .
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
UNC announces AD transition plan from Bubba Cunningham to RFK Racing president Steve Newmark in 2026
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham will transition next summer into a new advisory role to the school's chancellor, while hiring RFK Racing team president Steve Newmark as his eventual successor. UNC announced the moves Tuesday, which marked the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement. The transition includes a two-year contract extension through July 2029 for the 63-year-old Cunningham, who has served as athletic director since late 2011. He will move to advising chancellor Lee Roberts and eventually Newmark on projects tied to athletics next summer, according to the school's release. "As part of my last contract extension, I committed to working with university leadership on a succession plan that would positively position Carolina Athletics and our 28 teams for the future,' Cunningham said in a statement. 'I appreciate the opportunity to extend my contract and enhance my role in a way that will allow me to continue to support our outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff as we transition and navigate the changing athletics landscape. I am excited for the future.' In the meantime, Newmark — who has been president of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing for 15 years — will spend the 2025-26 season working as an executive associate AD and reporting to Cunningham. The school said Newmark's initial focus will be on 'revenue-driving initiatives,' particularly tied to the school's men's basketball and football programs, before eventually taking over as AD after the sports season. UNC's announcement touted Newmark's experience in sponsorships, marketing and contract negotiations — coming at a time of landscape-altering changes to college athletics with the arrival of revenue sharing. Newmark will start his first role Aug. 15. 'Like many passionate Tar Heel fans, avidly following UNC Athletics has represented a special and unique bond with my family and friends since childhood, and I recognize the role it serves for the University, alumni, community and broader fanbase,' Newmark said in a statement. 'I look forward to working with Bubba and the entire Tar Heel Nation to continue to elevate UNC's status as a premier brand in college sports with top-tier programs across the board, and with student-athletes who represent North Carolina's flagship institution with class on and off their respective playing fields. With collegiate athletics undergoing massive changes at all levels, UNC is well positioned to take advantage of the new landscape.' Newmark is a Chapel Hill native with multiple ties to the school, including serving on an advisory committee in the hiring of six-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Belichick as football coach in December. He is also part of the advisory committee in the Rams Club's search for a new executive director. Before joining RFK Racing, Newmark was a partner in a Charlotte-based law firm and specialized in sports and entertainment, including work with the NCAA, Southeastern Conference and Conference USA, UNC said in its release. Cunningham's tenure included elevating Hubert Davis to take over as men's basketball coach when Hall of Famer Roy Williams retired in April 2021, as well as Belichick's hiring. It also included navigating the school through a multi-year NCAA infractions case tied to academic courses popular with athletes. That case reached a no-penalty conclusion in October 2017. The school also won often. Eight different programs combined for 24 of the school's 63 national championships in Cunningham's tenure, while the school also had 22 individual national titles across seven sports.
Fox Sports
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
NASCAR Power Rankings: Denny Hamlin Back On Track, Back On Top
Denny Hamlin has three "podium" finishes in his last three starts. OK, so none of them actually had a real podium for a top-three finish. That only occurred at Mexico City, where Hamlin didn't race in the days following the birth of his son. But with a third-place finish, a win and a second in his past three starts, that's good enough to launch him at the top of this list. Here's how the latest rankings shake out as Cup Series drivers enter a three-week stretch of some wild-card-type tracks, with the first being Atlanta race this weekend — a high-banked 1.54-mile oval that now races like drafting tracks Daytona and Talladega. Dropped out: 9. Ross Chastain (Last Week: 9). On the verge: Alex Bowman, Chastain, Ty Gibbs, Joey Logano, John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick. Preece finished eighth at Pocono for his fourth top-10 finish in the last six races. The RFK Racing driver continues to find his way to race among the leaders. A brake rotor failure ruined Wallace's day Sunday at Pocono, and a starter issue stymied him in qualifying. But the 23XI driver had speed, as shown in the previous three races, where he had an average finish of 7.3. Briscoe's big victory at Pocono vaulted him into the playoffs and up a couple spots in these rankings. As a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, he should expect more wins and more weeks in these rankings. Buescher placed fourth at Pocono for his third consecutive top-10 finish. The RFK Racing driver had the speed as he qualified on the front row. A solid fifth-place finish for Elliott was his fifth top-five finish this year. The Hendrick driver knows running in the top five often enough will lead to him competing for a win relatively soon. Bell finished second a week earlier at Mexico City but never seemed to have the speed at Pocono. He qualified ninth and finished 17th, having been involved in a wreck in the second stage. Blaney rebounded from qualifying 20th to finishing third at Pocono. That's a good day for the Penske driver, making the most out of what could have been a bad day. Byron might have had the fastest car at Pocono on Saturday until he wrecked it during qualifying. He went for the stage points (he still has a 54-point lead on Kyle Larson as far as the battle for the regular-season title) and then got mired in traffic, losing spots to avoid a wreck and finished 27th. Larson finished a respectable seventh after starting 24th at Pocono. The Hendrick driver has seven top 10s in his last nine starts. Hamlin takes the top spot with three awesome finishes (third, first, second) in his last three starts. The JGR driver sits third in the standings despite having missed a race. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Get more from NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
