UCLA has just announced that Athletic Director Martin Jarmond has been removed from his position, effective immediately. Tim Harris, a former Lakers executive, will take over as the CEO and Director on an interim basis.
This move has felt like a long time coming, if the comment section of any UCLA article is to be believed. Jarmond did not do a great job of connecting with the larger UCLA fanbase, often seeming to be present for the good times and hiding away when things got tough. UCLA was able to enjoy some success under Jarmond, but his track record in hiring coaches has been spotty at best, with the Deshaun Foster debacle standing tall in this regard, and both of UCLA’s basketball coaches predate him (and, coincidentally, had more donor support than Jarmond).
Chancellor Julio Frenk had begun an audit of the athletic department earlier this summer, with Tim Harris in charge of diving deep into the budget and looking for ways to improve operations and help dig the department out of a deficit. In hindsight, that move now looks like a hunt for cause, and a job interview of sorts for Harris, who is the early favorite to stick to the role on a more permanent basis.
Here is the press release from UCLA regarding the move:
Dear Bruin Community:
Today, I want to share our new path forward for UCLA Athletics. We have all watched as the landscape of college athletics has transformed in recent years, driven by the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), new models for student-athlete compensation, and a rapidly changing sports marketplace. UCLA must have an athletics model that leads — not just keeps pace.
For generations, UCLA has produced champions and Olympic legends. We are the university of John Wooden. Our student-athletes have inspired generations of Bruins and captured the hearts of people around the world. And their achievements reflect something fundamental about UCLA: we believe that excellence has no single arena — it is found in academics, scholarly and creative work; in student athletic achievement; and in the pursuit of new possibilities. That is the tradition we want to carry forward, and that is why we must position UCLA as a leader in this evolving landscape.
UCLA Athletics currently carries a significant financial deficit, and its current path is not sustainable. Now is the moment to build a model for Athletics that protects the breadth of our program, creates new opportunities for student-athletes and coaches, and supports itself through the revenue it generates. I believe UCLA should help lead the transformation of intercollegiate athletics: our future must be shaped by purpose — not by pressure.
As we shape what comes next, Martin Jarmond will leave his role as director of athletics today. I am grateful to Martin for his extraordinary service to UCLA and for his leadership over the past six years. During his tenure, UCLA’s student-athletes continued to achieve at the highest levels, including three NCAA championship titles last year.
To move us forward, I have asked Tim Harris to serve as CEO and Director of UCLA Athletics. Tim is a proud alumnus and former student-athlete — simply put, he loves UCLA and cares deeply about our future. He is also a veteran sports executive who spent more than 35 years with the L.A. Lakers, including serving as its president of business operations. Tim knows what it takes to grow a world-class sports organization and global brand, and he holds longstanding relationships throughout Los Angeles and globally. He brings decades of experience in creating partnerships and new sources of revenue, along with a personal focus on centering the student-athlete experience. I am especially grateful for Tim’s willingness to serve UCLA on a pro bono basis.
Tim will develop a new strategy to grow revenue through partnerships, licensing and other ventures, while ensuring that our student-athletes and coaches have the required support to compete at the highest level.
This work will require the talent and commitment of many people. I want to acknowledge our exceptional coaches, student-athletes and staff for the dedication and passion they bring to our Bruin family every day. Their commitment is at the heart of what makes UCLA Athletics special.
Athletics contributes much more to UCLA than what happens on the playing field or on screens. It expands access to higher education, enriches student experience, and builds community within and beyond our campus. It prepares student-athletes for life. And it provides a platform for the fair competition, teamwork and service-oriented leadership we hold dear.
I look forward to working with all of you to build the next chapter of UCLA Athletics.
We are One UCLA.
Julio Frenk
Chancellor
We will obviously have more analysis of this news, which is too bad for me since I was so close to being done with The Opener.
Go Bruins!
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Somebody *FINALLY* read the room! SO LONG, CHIEF!!!
Go Bruins!
Christmas in September!