The University of North Carolina made a major announcement regarding the future of Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham, stating that a succession plan has been implemented.
While Cunningham received a two-year extension to stay at North Carolina until 2029, his time as the university's Director of Athletics is on the verge of coming to an end. During the summer of 2026, Cunningham will transition to Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Athletic Director. The goal of this newly-created position is to allow Cunningham the opportunity to work on transformational University projects to ensure future athletic success in Chapel Hill.
When his tenure as Director of Athletics comes to an end next summer, Steve Newmark, formerly the Roush Fenway Keslowski (RFK) Racing President, is in place to take over the role. This upcoming academic year, Newmark will focus on revenue-driving initiatives (most notably for the UNC football, men's basketball, and women's basketball programs) before taking on his new role a year from now.
What this hiring should tell you is simple: North Carolina is looking toward the future and the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. With NIL and revenue sharing spearheading the way college athletics operates, it's becoming more critical to have a Director of Athletics in place that can help navigate the challenges that are ahead.
Newmark's resume makes him a very worthy hire. A Chapel Hill native with ties to the university (remember, he was on the UNC football program's head coach search team), Newmark's background is primarily in the business and legal aspects of sports. He has experience working with college athletic entities in a legal and business capacity, two areas that are definitely good to have experience in while considering this type of role.
Sure, Cunningham isn't getting younger, as he recently turned 63. By 2029, he'll be close to 70, as retirement will certainly be on his mind. This transition allows him to still be an integral part of Carolina Athletics, but his new role won't be as tedious or demanding as the current one is.
For Newmark, he'll have a full year to shadow Cunningham, who had a ton of success as the university's Director of Athletics, before taking over the reins. While he doesn't have the experience in this role, the skillset he does bring to the table is very enticing, especially with college athletics becoming more of a business by the day.