WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 13, 2022 – LEAD1 Association (“LEAD1”), which represents the athletics directors of the 131-member schools of the Football Bowl Subdivision (“FBS”), today announced plans for its 2022 LEAD1 Association Annual Fall Meeting to be held in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 14.
More than 100 FBS athletics directors are expected to attend LEAD1’s meeting, which will be highlighted by a closed-door discussion among athletic directors about the future of FBS football governance.
This year’s LEAD1 Annual Fall Meeting will be presented by INFLCR, the leading athlete brand-building and NIL business development platform, and its NIL valuation partner On3, a premier college sports digital media, data and marketing company.
In preparation for this year’s meeting, LEAD1 formed a working group of approximately 40 FBS ADs to have preliminary discussions and examine the best path forward for FBS football governance. Additionally, LEAD1 retained Erianne Weight, Director of the University of North Carolina’s Center for Research in Intercollegiate Athletics, to guide the working group using a data-driven approach rooted in academia best practices.
“Our annual athletics directors meeting is the most important date on the LEAD1 calendar, as it manifests our goal of bringing together FBS athletics directors from all conferences to engage in privileged communications, seek consensus and create advancement on the critical issues facing college athletics,” said Tom McMillen, President and CEO of LEAD1. “We are particularly excited about this year’s meeting, as we anticipate having meaningful and productive conversations around the future of FBS football governance.”
“During this time of transformational change in college athletics, I am honored to serve such an important group of practitioners and colleagues,” said Heather Lyke, Director of Athletics at the University of Pittsburgh and LEAD1 Board Chair. “The LEAD1 Annual Meeting provides a platform where FBS athletics directors can have open and candid discussions on some of the most relevant issues in college sports.”
The meeting will also feature presentations from several subject-matter experts including former President of ESPN John Skipper, who will speak about the current media rights marketplace in college sports, and NCAA Transformation Committee Co-Chairs Greg Sankey and Julie Cromer, who will provide an update on the Committee’s recent work.
Additionally, former Duke University and University of Notre Dame Athletic Director Kevin White, who served as an NCAA AD for 40 years, will receive LEAD1’s “Homer Rice Award.” This year’s award, which is given annually to an FBS athletics director who has made a significant contribution to college sports, will be presented by Jack Porter, a leading consulting agency specializing in athletic facility design and transformation.
In addition to presenting partners INFLCR and On3, and the “Homer Rice Award” presenting partner Jack Porter, sponsors of the 2022 LEAD1 Annual Fall Meeting include Anthony Travel | On Location, Collegiate Sports Connect, DHR Global, DLR Group, Eventellect, Events DC, LEARFIELD, Lightfoot Law, Playfly Sports, RealResponse, Robinhood, and Ticketmaster.
“As NIL continues to evolve and present new challenges, we are working to innovate on behalf of our collegiate clients and their student-athletes,” said Jim Cavale, Founder and CEO of INFLCR. “The opportunity for INFLCR and NIL valuation partner On3 to be a part of the LEAD1 Annual Meeting is an honor that we are very excited about.”
About the LEAD1 Association:
LEAD1, founded in 1986 and formerly the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association, represents the athletics directors of the 131 member universities of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), that encompasses 42 states, 55,000 student athletes, and more than 25,000 athletic administrators. Key to LEAD1’s mission is advocating on policy facing NCAA Division I FBS athletic departments, promoting consensus among FBS athletic directors, and providing valuable services to member schools – all dedicated towards supporting the success of student-athletes and future of college sports. Since 2015, LEAD1 has been led by the Honorable Tom McMillen, a former Congressman, college basketball All-American, Rhodes Scholar, and 11-year NBA player. For more information, please visit www.LEAD1Association.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS
LEAD1: Mariama Barry, mariama@lead1a.com
FINN Partners: Zach Groen, zach.groen@finnpartners.com
