May 2024 marked a brand new chapter in the history of Arizona State athletics, with the hiring of alumnus Graham Rossini as the university’s newest athletic director following the departure of Ray Anderson, who served in that capacity for roughly a decade.

Year one brought a whirlwind of unanticipated success for Sun Devil athletics as the school transitioned from its former home in the Pac-12 Conference to the Big 12 Conference in the vast majority of its sports. Despite this significant period of change, many Sun Devil programs saw significant success over the last nine months, winning four conference championships (football, volleyball, men’s, and women’s swimming).

On Thursday morning, Rossini held a press conference, which, among other topics, reviewed the first full sports year for ASU in their new conference.

“26 sports, 15 of them finished in the top 25,” Rossini noted in his opening remarks. “This last year, we had 10 combined first or second-place conference finishes, four Big 12 championships, which led the Big 12, and four Big 12 runners-up as well.

“I think the nation has started to really understand what we’re capable of accomplishing at Arizona State University. We want to win, we talk about Operation: Rings and Banners all the time, we want to compete at the highest level.”

Rossini credits a large portion of the success of the 2024–25 athletic year to the connectivity of the coaching staff across the department that has worked amongst themselves to foster growth at ASU. Rossini noted that the university coaching tree at ASU feels more intertwined now than it did back in May 2024.

“We no longer have these 26 sports that operate largely like independent contractors,” Rossini noted. “They’re connected, they’re collaborating, they’re pushing each other in ways that are healthy and competitive.”

With the additional success comes added fandom and excitement in the Valley toward Sun Devil football. Much of Rossini’s remarks looking ahead to the 2025–26 athletic year were related to the boom of popularity and resources ASU has earned heading into the fall, starting with football, as the ASU craze has made Tempe the new hotspot for Saturday afternoons in the Phoenix metropolitan.

“Seven thousand new season tickets for next football season as of today,” Rossini stated. “We expect to exceed 7,500 new season tickets by the start of the season. That puts us at the most total season tickets in well over a decade.”

As the rapidly changing environment of collegiate athletics continues, the Sun Devils feel comfortable in their foundation to this point. Revenue for the university has seen exponential growth starting in August 2023, when Sun Devil Stadium, the home of ASU football, agreed to a naming rights deal with Mountain America Credit Union worth over $50 million at the time.

“I think it’s still the largest investment in college football history. That really started our evolution of building out a better business within Sun Devil Athletics,” Rossini remarked. “That’s continued with the partnerships that we’ve started to create. We have a number of new partners coming in at seven-figure levels, really focused on ticket selling and fundraising.”

As money flows through the veins of college athletics, changes in NCAA rules, regulations, and guidelines for NIL and other compensation for college athletes continue. The summer of 2025 is no different than many in years past, as the NCAA settles on new financial decisions meant to aid in monetary regulation.

This time around, the NCAA has settled upon a maximum of $20.5 million that each university can supply in revenue sharing for its student-athletes. This decision is based on the percentage of the school’s commercial-driven revenue through athletics. Due to the fact that Arizona State is expanding its number of scholarship athletes across its sports to meet the max numbers, it will actually have roughly $18 million this year to distribute in revenue share funds to all of its scholarship student-athletes. This figure is expected to increase by 4% annually to keep pace with rising living costs.

It is essential to note that this is not a salary cap on the amount a collegiate athlete can receive through NIL contracts. However, it does impose a restriction on the amount of money that can be received directly from the university. For Rossini, this was an anticipated step in the direction of college athlete compensation, as the NCAA continues to look for a permanent solution to the chaos surrounding name, image, and likeness (NIL).

“I think the overall benefit is that there are steps toward uniform guidelines,” Rossini commented. “And at least in terms of rev share and NIL and roster caps, we understand that environment. I think we’ve got a long way to go as an industry in terms of officiating and some of the sport-specific rules that need to be unified at a Division I level or an NCAA level. I don’t think each conference should have different interpretations of competitive rules. I think we need to really focus on balancing out that landscape.”

The balance of the landscape is set for now, but the NCAA doesn’t regulate where each school spends its annual revenue share funds. Proposed distribution models across the country for colleges that have a football program suggest that roughly 75% of the annual revenue share funds will be allocated to football. The majority of the remaining 25% will be allocated to men’s basketball, with the remaining funds distributed to the rest of the collegiate athletes at any given university.

Ultimately, Rossini stayed far away from floating numbers or percentage points on Thursday, and no figures were implied on how much ASU will spend per program. The monetary structure is centered on scholarship growth while unifying the athletic department and all 600 student-athletes at Arizona State, ensuring they are adequately compensated.

“We’ll be spending off about $18 million on the rev share,” Rossini said. “So, the available dollars are $20.5 million. If you follow the documents, there are two separate deduct categories. There’s up to $2.5 million in additional scholarship. We’ve blown beyond that number, adding 200-plus, so we hit that threshold no problem.

“We are discontinuing the Alston program (education-related financial awards provided directly by universities for academic-related expenses) that we’ve had for the last three or four years, which allows us to maintain $18 million going into rev share. Again, our scholarship investment is significant, but we’re convinced that it’s the right way to put our dollars into our department.”

Rossini’s long-term vision for the athletic department differs from that of the majority of Power Four programs. Fourteen of ASU’s 26 athletic programs are women’s sports, and the school is focused on building a culture that uplifts every team in the athletic department.

It was announced in May 2025 that multiple Division I universities, including UTEP and Cal Poly, would be dropping women’s tennis, along with swimming and diving. In the Valley, Grand Canyon’s men’s volleyball team is also on the chopping block, with monetary reasoning at the forefront of the unprecedented waters that athletic departments now have to navigate.

Arizona State’s 26 sports tops all Big 12 teams, and the conference has only two other teams exceeding 20 sports (Arizona at 22 and TCU at 21). It’s possible that this new college sports landscape could ultimately force some schools in this league to go through a program attrition process, yet that does not appear to be an even remote possibility in Tempe.

“We’ve added scholarships to all 26 (sports),” Rossini proudly stated. “There are a lot of schools that are maybe incrementally adding a small number or pulling scholarships out of sports, giving them to football to go from 85 to 105, or giving these two extra men’s basketball scholarships. I’d be nervous if I were at that school. If I’m a sport that’s not a big revenue driver and it is a cost center, you better have some incremental value to the university. So, we’re looking at ways to just resource our programs.

“There’s a pathway where eventually every athlete at ASU could be on some form of athletic aid. And we’ve added operational budget to all 26 sports. So, we’re continuing to invest in all 26. This isn’t an isolation around football and men’s basketball. They’re certainly heavily involved in the rev share distribution, but all 26 have a place at the university, and we really try to be as diligent and aggressive in resourcing all of them as best we can.”

Every NIL deal an ASU student-athlete earns will need to be approved by the university before it can become official—a process that is already in place but with slight variations for future use.

“Our athletes are used to disclosing their NIL deals,” Rossini remarked. “There have been different tools that we’ve used for that, but we’ve always encouraged that. It’s been part of our process. Where it benefits moving forward is the new NIL Go (a Deloitte-run clearinghouse) process that we’ll be using. Deloitte is involved in managing that. And again, a lot of people are maybe skeptical about the reality of holding up to these new guidelines.”

Deloitte’s NIL Go system is becoming the newest standard in NIL structure. The accounting giant launched the program on June 11, 2025, and numerous Division I programs will use it entering the new athletic cycle. It requires all students to submit NIL deals worth $600 or more for review by a third party, in order to streamline the regulatory process.

An ASU athlete who will likely utilize NIL Go frequently is Sun Devil quarterback Sam Leavitt. The redshirt sophomore enters his second year in Tempe as a player in the upper echelon of collegiate quarterbacks, with Heisman Trophy potential being floated by analysts. Perhaps more remarkable than his playmaking on the field is his selflessness off it. While other universities tangle in bidding wars for their star signal-callers, Leavitt donated his 2024 season earnings back to the Sun Angel NIL Collective, along with $15,000 donation to the Pat Tillman Foundation.

At the head of Rossini’s vision for ASU athletics is a team leader such as Leavitt who is willing, able, and excited to replant fruitful seeds in the program for others to benefit from.

“I love the kids who are in our department. Sam Leavitt is really taking on massive leadership at ASU, not just for football, but for all of ASU,” Rossini said. “I think when you see a check like this where he’s donating his NIL money back to the Pat Tillman Foundation, it just tells me that they understand the legacy of our institution. They understand what it’s like to be a Sun Devil. They understand the spirit of giving back, and that’s what NIL is for.

“I think college has historically been very selfish. It’s ‘help us because we’re inefficient at running the industry ourselves. We need a handout for people to come and give us resources.’ We want to give that back. We want to build a better business, but we want to be very community-oriented, where we’re affecting causes that are important in the Valley.”

ASU’s 2024 football campaign is forever ingrained in the history of Sun Devil football, finishing with the second-highest win total in program history. However, Thursday marked an incredible day for the team that still holds the all-time record. Led by legendary head coach Frank Kush, the 1975 ASU football team finished the season 12–0, culminating in a Fiesta Bowl victory over Nebraska, marking the only undefeated season in school history.

It was announced Thursday that the 1975 team would be inducted into the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame, 50 years removed from its unforgettable run.

“We knew that this 50th anniversary was significant, and they’re going to be a member of the Hall of Fame class this fall, which is also the 50th anniversary of the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame,” Rossini noted. “So, we only have two other teams that have ever been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The ’75 football team will be the first football team, and it very well deserves to come in.”

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Sports Market Place Directory 2025 Edition” book has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

Sports Market Place 2025 provides a one-stop resource for this billion-dollar industry. This will be an important resource for large public libraries, university libraries, university athletic programs, career services or job placement organizations, and is a must for anyone doing business in or marketing a product or service to the vast U.S. sports industry.

Sports Market Place is the classic sports reference work that has served the sports industry for over 50 years, offering full coverage of 103 sports – from Air Sports to Yachting – including data on fast-growing segments such as cycling, fitness, gymnastics, martial arts, running, swimming, and weightlifting. Over the years, this work has grown to include nearly 2,000 pages of valuable content, including professional, college and youth leagues and teams, sports media, events, facilities, sponsors, manufacturers, and professional services.

With this directory on your desk, you have a comprehensive tool providing current key information about the people, organizations and events involving the explosive sports industry at your fingertips. Sports Market Place provides must-have contact information (nearly 13,500 listings) including: 11,484 websites, 6,047 email addresses, and nearly 40,000 key executives.

• Single Sports has over 2,109 sport-specific organizations, leagues and teams that comprise over 100 specific sports. It includes professional, major and minor leagues, coaches, managers, and an alphabetical index.

• Multi Sports includes 12 specific categories, including athletic foundations, Olympic teams, halls of fame and youth sports organizations. It includes a total of 835 and an alphabetical index.

• College Sports has 1,697 listings with associations, conferences, degree programs, and division I, II and III schools. You’ll find a comprehensive list of coaches and sports management programs, and an alphabetical index.

• Media includes prominent newspapers and radio and television sports programming. Listings include editors, commentators, show hosts and an alphabetical index.

• Sports Sponsors includes 119 sponsors that support most major sports, including college bowl games, and an alphabetical index.

• Professional Services comprises 13 categories, from executive search services to ticket services, for a total of 1,684 listings, and an alphabetical index.

• Facilities has 1,365 listings and includes seven categories from arenas to facility concession services. You’ll find stadiums, race tracks, architects, management services, and an alphabetical index.

• Manufacturers & Retailers include 1,929 listings, with a separate section for Software Manufacturers. Listings include valuable contact information, including key executives, plus products and brands. This chapter includes two indexes – one by sport and one by subject.

• Events, Meetings & Trade Shows include 1,060 listings, of which 130 are trade shows. Events and trade shows are listed separately by both sport and date. This section also includes two alphabetical indexes, one for trade shows and one for events.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Single Sports

• Alphabetical Index

• Air Sports Organizations

• Archery Organizations

• Arm Wrestling Organizations

• Auto Sports Organizations

• Auto Sports Racing Leagues/Teams

• Badminton Organizations

• Bandy Organizations

• Baseball Organizations

• Baseball, Professional Leagues/Teams: Major

• Baseball, Professional Leagues/Teams: Minor

• Basketball Organizations

• Basketball, Leagues and Teams

• Biathlon Organizations

• Billiards Organizations

• Boating Organizations

• Bobsledding Organizations

• Bowling Organizations

• Boxing Organizations

• Broomball Organizations

• Canoeing Organizations

• Climbing Organizations

• Cricket Organizations

• Croquet Organizations

• Curling Organizations

• Cycling Organizations

• Cycling, Leagues/Teams

• Dart Organizations

• Diving Organizations

• Equestrian Organizations

• Equestrian, Commissions/Pari-Mutuel

• Exercise/Fitness Organizations

• Fencing Organizations

• Figure Skating Organizations

• Fishing Organizations

• Football Organizations

• Football, College Bowl/Classics

• Football, Professional Leagues/Teams

• Frisbee Organizations

• Golf Organizations

• Greyhound Racing Organizations

• Gymnastics Organizations

• Handball Organizations

• Hockey, Field Hockey Organizations

• Hockey, Ice Hockey Organizations

• Hockey, Professional Hockey (NHL)

• Hockey, Professional, Minor Leagues

• Hockey, Roller Hockey Organizations

• Horseshoe Organizations

• Inline Skating Organizations

• Jai-Lai Organizations

• Kayaking Organizations

• Kiting Organizations

• Lacrosse Organizations

• Lacrosse, Leagues/Teams

• Luge Organizations

• Martial Arts Organizations

• Motorcycle Organizations

• Mountainboard Organizations

• Netball Organizations

• Orienteering Organizations

• Pentathlon Organizations

• Petanque Organizations

• Platform Tennis Organizations

• Polo Organizations

• Racquetball Organizations

• Ringette Organizations

• Rodeo Organizations

• Roller Skating Organizations

• Rowing/Crew Organizations

• Rugby Organizations

• Running Organizations

• Sailing Organizations

• Scuba Organizations

• Shooting/Hunting Organizations

• Shuffleboard Organizations

• Skateboard Organizations

• Skiing Organizations

• Sled Dog Organizations

• Snowboarding Organizations

• Snowmobile Organizations

• Soccer (Futsal) Organizations

• Soccer Organizations

• Soccer, Leagues/Teams

• Softball Organizations

• Softball, Leagues/Teams

• Speedskating Organizations

• Squash Organizations

• Surfing Organizations

• Swimming Organizations

• Table Tennis Organizations

• Tennis Organizations

• Tennis, Leagues/Teams

• Track & Field Organizations

• Triathlon Organizations

• Tug of War Organizations

• Volleyball Organizations

• Water Polo Organizations

• Water Skiing Organizations

• Weightlifting Organizations

• Windsurfing Organizations

• Wrestling Organizations

• Yachting Organizations

2. Multiple Sports

• Alphabetical Index

• Athletic Foundations

• Disabled Sports

• High School Sports

• Military Sports

• Olympic, International Federations

• Olympic, Organizations

• Olympic, United States Major Governing Bodies

• Professional Organizations

• Sports Commissions/Convention Visitors Bureau

• Sports Halls of Fame, Libraries, Museums

• State Games Organizations

• Youth Organizations

3. College Sports

• Alphabetical Index

• College Associations

• College Athletic Conferences

• NAIA I Colleges

• NCAA Division I Colleges

• NCAA Division II Colleges

• NCAA Division III Colleges

• Sport Management Degree Programs

4. Media

• Alphabetical Index

• Newspapers

• Magazines

• Sports Business Directories

• Media Production

• Sports Radio Networks

• Sports Radio Programs, Local

• Sports Radio Programs, National

• Sports Satellite Radio

• Sports Radio Stations

• Sports Television, Cable & Broadcasting

• Sports Television Pay Per View

• Sports Television Programs, Local

• Sports Television Programs, National

• Sports Satellite Television

• Sports Television Stations

• Sports on the World Wide Web

5. Sports Sponsors

• Sponsor by Sport Index

• Sports-Related

6. Professional Services

• Alphabetical Index

• Executive Search Services

• Event Planning & Services

• Event Security

• Financial Services

• Marketing & Consulting Services

• Technical Services

• Sports Agents

• Sports Attorneys

• Sports Medicine Services

• Sports Travel Services

• Statistical Services

• Student Athlete Recruiting Services

• Ticket Services

7. Facilities

• Alphabetical Index

• Arenas & Stadiums

• Race Tracks – Auto

• Race Tracks – Equestrian Downs & Parks

• Race Tracks – Greyhound

• Facility Architects & Developers

• Facility Management

• Facility Concession Services

8. Manufacturers & Retailers

• Company by Sport/Subject Index

• Equipment & Product Manufacturers

• Software Manufacturers

• Retailers

9. Events, Meetings & Trade Shows

• Alphabetical Trade Show Index

• Meeting and Trade Show Calendar

• Alphabetical Events Index

• Events by Date

• Events by Sport

10. All-Volume Indexes

• Entry Index

• Executive Index

• Geographic Index

For more information about this book visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fkhjzi

Source: Grey House Publishing Inc

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech announced its first advanced sellout of the 2025 season on Thursday as Red Raider fans have secured the primary ticket inventory for the Oct. 25 showdown with Oklahoma State at Jones AT&T Stadium.

The advanced sellout is likely the first of several for a highly anticipated Red Raider football season as demand continues to reach all-time highs with Texas Tech selling out of season tickets for a third consecutive year earlier this spring. Oklahoma State will serve as the Parents and Family Weekend game, which attracts large crowds to the Texas Tech campus annually.

In addition, Texas Tech will formally induct record-setting quarterback Graham Harrell into the Ring of Honor at halftime between the Red Raiders and Cowboys. He will also be recognized for his upcoming induction into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame as part of the NFF’s On-Campus Salute program. Harrell will become the seventh Red Raider in program history to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame and the 12th to join the prestigious Ring of Honor, with his name being unveiled on the Jones AT&T Stadium pressbox.

Tickets for the Oklahoma State game can still be purchased via SeatGeek, the official secondary ticket provider of Texas Tech Athletics. An official game time and television designation for the Oklahoma State game or any other Big 12 contest will be determined during the season on a 6-to-12-day window by the Big 12 Conference’s television partners in ESPN, FOX and TNT Sports.

Single-game tickets for each of Texas Tech’s six other home dates are still on sale through the Athletic Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased at any time via TexasTech.com or by calling 806-742-TECH during normal business hours.

–TECH–

• Sutter chose the Crimson Tide over Illinois, Ole Miss, and Ohio State.
• He is the No. 1 prospect in Illinois and the No. 80 prospect nationally, according to 247Sports Composite.
• Sutter is the first tight end in Alabama’s 2026 recruiting class.

PEORIA — Roll Tide.

Greg McElroy is getting real about the impact of NIL on high school athletics. The ESPN analyst opened up about the weight of NIL expectations on young athletes like Michigan Wolverines’ five-star recruit Bryce Underwood.

Underwood, who has an NIL valuation of $3 Million per ON3, possesses a first-hand experience with the changing landscape of college athletics. He is the No. 1-ranked quarterback in the 2025 class and flipped his commitment from LSU after Michigan offered him an NIL deal reportedly worth $10.5 million over the next four years.

In an appearance on “Always College Football” on Thursday, McElroy discussed the increased pressure placed on high school athletes in the NIL age.

“I think Bryce Underwood is making a lot more money than pretty much everybody,” McElroy said. “But there’s been a handful of guys that have not lived up to the expectations and the weight of the NIL expectations, because I do think – now in the era of the NIL – the expectations are higher and the pressure is higher as well.”

Expectations are certainly high for Underwood. The Wolverines’ massive NIL package highlights their need for the nation’s top quarterback recruit.

Michigan had one of the worst offenses in the country last season and played to an 8-5 record after going undefeated the year before. The Wolverines had the 131st passing offense, something they will look to bounce back from with Underwood’s help.

What Bryce Underwood brings to Michigan?

Bryce Underwood joins the Wolverines as the No. 1 player in his class with a perfect 247Sports prospect score.

Underwood was a four-year starter at Belleville High School, where he led the Tigers to two Division I MHSAA State Championships in 2021 and 2022 and three consecutive appearances from 2021 to 2023.

In his senior season, Underwood accumulated 2,509 passing yards and 32 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He made 71.8 percent of his passes and scored six rushing touchdowns with over 600 yards.

Throughout his high school career, he racked up 12,919 all-purpose yards including 11,488 passing yards and 179 total touchdowns.

Underwood was a dominant force in high school and played his way into being the nation’s top recruit. He will look to transform Michigan’s offense with his impressive skill set. He will hopefully look to transform Michigan’s offense with his impressive skill set and abilities.

College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First News) — When the LSU baseball team lifted its eighth championship trophy Sunday, it symbolized the end of a consequential era for college sports: the beginning of name, image and likeness (NIL). New rule changes will impact what it takes to stay atop the college sports world.

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“You have to be able to adapt,” said Fritz Metzinger, a New Orleans sports attorney.

A House settlement earlier this month paved the way for revenue sharing. Under this new model, athletic departments will be able to spend up to $20.5 million on the people who drive a program’s success.

“Schools like LSU can now directly pay their student athletes,” Metzinger said.

That will add a new wrinkle to what has been possible since 2021, when the NIL era first began. For the last four years, athletes could only profit from endorsement deals. Metzinger said an “arms race” started to acquire top talent, and a “pay-for-play” system developed across college sports.

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Groups called collectives stepped in to become fundraising arms for schools. At LSU, the collective is called Bayou Traditions. The money required to field top teams increased over the last four years, particularly in football and basketball.

“These collectives have become very powerful,” Metzinger said. “Local businesses that’re LSU supporters or Tulane supporters have thrown a lot of money at it.”

Baton Rouge attorney Gordon McKernan got in early.

“I signed (former LSU women’s basketball player) Alexis Morris,” McKernan said. “I think it was the first NIL deal at LSU. I don’t remember.”

McKernan signed many more athletes to deals, where they appeared on billboards, in commercials, and on social media posts. The money necessary to keep these players in Baton Rouge continued to rise.

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“You’ve got to have the facilities, the tradition, all the winning and all that stuff is great,” McKernan said. “But you have to have the money, or they’ll go somewhere else.”

Under new changes, boosters will be relied on less. An athlete who signs any deals with a booster or collective will need to prove the deal isn’t a pay-for-play situation to a newly-created board, Metzinger said, as programs can use their own revenue for that money.

“I’ve been told they’re not going to ask me for as much, or other boosters, as well,” McKernan said. “Like, ‘hey, we’ve got more money now, we’re in a good spot.”

Athletes can still do third-party deals, which will be advantageous for businesses and athletes in a culture that has become increasingly star-powered.

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“Any other businesses can pay any athlete whatever they want,” Metzinger said.

AJ’s Sports Cards on Drusilla Lane in Baton Rouge has been doing NIL signing deals with athletes, where they come to the shop and autograph memorabilia for fans.

“I think it’s good for the hobby,” said Nikki Erckert, AJ’s Sports Cards owner. “The little collectors get to meet their heroes.”

Erckert said the first NIL deal was with former baseball player Tre Morgan. The return on investment was immediately apparent.

“At least 150 people showed up to our very first in-person signing,” Morgan said.

The next AJ’s signing is Saturday, and it will feature members from the newly crowned LSU baseball champions. Erckert said that the signing was set up months in advance.

“A show that probably would’ve brought in about 500 customers…no telling what that’s going to look like now,” Erckert said.

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Under the new rules, Metzinger said LSU is primed to continue to thrive athletically because of the business support, marketability and revenue opportunities.

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