Those who have been listening to the podcast for awhile now know that I have interviewed very few people who work inside an athletics department. I do this because there is a gap in our knowledge and understanding of all the different stakeholders whose work is impacted by athletics, and who work in other parts of the university ecosystem.

Setting that principle aside for this week..... I'm joined by a former 2x Division I Athletics Director at the Group of 5 and Power 5 level, Dr. Brad Bates. Brad was the Athletics Director at Miami University of Ohio, and Boston College; he was also a Senior Associate AD at Vanderbilt. Today, he is Vice President at Collegiate Sports Associates.

I wanted to talk with Brad about how Presidents and Trustees can effectively come along side of athletics directors in dealing with difficult, public facing issues, and when, perhaps, they should not interfere. I think it is important for senior leaders to hear from those who have been in the trenches to know if the support provided is adequate and appropriate.

Also, Brad and his colleague, Jason Belzer, prepared a very detailed case study on the dynamics of a search committee trying to hire a revenue sport coach in men's basketball. It is a fascinating look at the politics and personalities that can influence who gets the job. 

Case Study on how to hire a men's basketball coach