April 29, 2025 • 28 mins
THE KELLY FILE:
Michael Kelly is the vice president for athletics at the University of South Florida, leading a transformative vision for USF Athletics that focuses on enhancing the student-athlete experience, fostering community engagement, and developing elite athletic facilities.
Since joining USF in 2018, Kelly has nearly doubled the department’s budget to $100 million and secured more than $100 million in philanthropic gifts. He has overseen major facility projects, including plans for the new $340 million on-campus stadium and training center set to open in 2027, the $22 million Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility, and a $3 million football locker room renovation.
Under his leadership, USF Athletics has expanded to 21 varsity sports with the addition of women’s lacrosse and beach volleyball. During Kelly’s tenure, the Bulls have captured 20 American Athletic Conference team championships, two divisional titles, two NCAA championships, eight cheer national championships, and one cheer World Cup, while 27 student-athletes have been named All-Americans. USF student-athletes have excelled academically, maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher for 20 consecutive semesters.
Kelly has prioritized student-athlete well-being by enhancing the nutrition program, adding multiple fueling stations and free breakfasts, and doubling the sports psychology program to support mental health. He established USF’s NIL Strategy Unit to provide resources for student-athletes to maximize their opportunities and remain competitive at the highest levels. He also launched the Bulls+ Awards (Alston Awards) to reward academic achievement and founded the Stampede for Women initiative to empower female student-athletes.
Additionally, he led USF’s membership in the Green Sports Alliance to advance sustainability across athletic facilities.
To increase USF’s visibility, Kelly directed the construction of a $2 million broadcast facility. This facility enables the live streaming of more than 160 events annually on ESPN+, the most in the American Athletic Conference.
The facility also serves as an educational resource for USF students and reflects Kelly’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and equity in college athletics. Before returning to USF, Kelly served as the chief operating officer of the College Football Playoff, held leadership roles with the Atlantic Coast Conference, and directed Super Bowl host committees in Jacksonville, Tampa, and South Florida.
Earlier in his career, Kelly served as USF’s associate athletic director for development and external relations, as director of athletic operations and facilities at Wake Forest University, and as executive director of the 1999 Men’s Basketball Final Four Organizing Committee, held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. In addition to his role at USF, Kelly serves in numerous NCAA leadership capacities, including the Division I Council and Sports Oversight Committee.
A founding board member of the Collegiate Event and Facilities Management Association, he also serves on the Board of Trustees for St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C.; the President’s Board of Advisors at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens; the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Tampa Bay Sports Commission; and the Executive Committee of the Gasparilla Bowl.
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Michael Kelly is the vice president for athletics at the University of South Florida, leading a transformative vision for USF Athletics that focuses on enhancing the student-athlete experience, fostering community engagement, and developing elite athletic facilities.
Since joining USF in 2018, Kelly has nearly doubled the department’s budget to $100 million and secured more than $100 million in philanthropic gifts. He has overseen major facility projects, including plans for the new $340 million on-campus stadium and training center set to open in 2027, the $22 million Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility, and a $3 million football locker room renovation.
Under his leadership, USF Athletics has expanded to 21 varsity sports with the addition of women’s lacrosse and beach volleyball. During Kelly’s tenure, the Bulls have captured 20 American Athletic Conference team championships, two divisional titles, two NCAA championships, eight cheer national championships, and one cheer World Cup, while 27 student-athletes have been named All-Americans. USF student-athletes have excelled academically, maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher for 20 consecutive semesters.
Kelly has prioritized student-athlete well-being by enhancing the nutrition program, adding multiple fueling stations and free breakfasts, and doubling the sports psychology program to support mental health. He established USF’s NIL Strategy Unit to provide resources for student-athletes to maximize their opportunities and remain competitive at the highest levels. He also launched the Bulls+ Awards (Alston Awards) to reward academic achievement and founded the Stampede for Women initiative to empower female student-athletes.
Additionally, he led USF’s membership in the Green Sports Alliance to advance sustainability across athletic facilities.
To increase USF’s visibility, Kelly directed the construction of a $2 million broadcast facility. This facility enables the live streaming of more than 160 events annually on ESPN+, the most in the American Athletic Conference.
The facility also serves as an educational resource for USF students and reflects Kelly’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and equity in college athletics. Before returning to USF, Kelly served as the chief operating officer of the College Football Playoff, held leadership roles with the Atlantic Coast Conference, and directed Super Bowl host committees in Jacksonville, Tampa, and South Florida.
Earlier in his career, Kelly served as USF’s associate athletic director for development and external relations, as director of athletic operations and facilities at Wake Forest University, and as executive director of the 1999 Men’s Basketball Final Four Organizing Committee, held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. In addition to his role at USF, Kelly serves in numerous NCAA leadership capacities, including the Division I Council and Sports Oversight Committee.
A founding board member of the Collegiate Event and Facilities Management Association, he also serves on the Board of Trustees for St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C.; the President’s Board of Advisors at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens; the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Tampa Bay Sports Commission; and the Executive Committee of the Gasparilla Bowl.
CHECK OUT - GOSFBULLS.COM
FOLLOW ME:
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IG - jimwilliams200
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PODCAST Podcast Stream On with Jim Williams On Apple, Spotify, iHeartradio, TuneIn, Spreaker, or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you are a cord cutter, you need to check out Sling TV.
You want sports?
Sling has it.
How about news and entertainment?
Once again, it's Sling.
Check out Sling TV. www.sling.com
Need a computer? We highly recommend you check out our friends at AAAPC in the link below.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/335762770305
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Good to everybody. I am. I'm excited for this one
because this is Michael Kelly. Michael is the vice president
of Athletics at the University of South Florida, my alma mater. So, Michael,
we share the bulls man, we share.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
The bulls horns. Up. I'm proud all the way around.
I'm going to talk to our steam the looms. It's
really good. And I'm from DC, so we kind of
have double things in common here.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Yeah, yeah, we're We're hanging there right with each other. Michael.
You know, I gotta say from my forty some years
in covering college sports, both as a producer, director and
and at times, you know, a writer, this is probably
(01:06):
the most difficult time to negotiate and navigate your way
through athletics. You've got a budget which is right around
one hundred million dollars. It's to me amazing with the
portal and nil all of the stuff going on, your
(01:27):
job must be a whole lot more different than what
you thought it might have been, say, five or ten
years ago.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I mean when I came into this role just under
seven years ago, you know, but what I what I
thought being an athletic director would be like, is certainly
a lot different now, but it's it's it's fascinating and
it's hard. It's something you have to adjust to, you
have to be nimble, but you know, I find it
intellectually stimulating and I'm grateful for the support that we
get both with our staff here and our administration and
(01:58):
our coaches that are all being very adaptive and really
looking for ways that we try to We often say
we're trying to be a model athletic department for modern
times because as you know, South Floor is a relatively
young institution when only being being even established in nineteen
fifty six, so we're all, you know, we might be
even better, you know, better prepared or better positioned to
(02:20):
be adaptive because we don't have centuries of tradition. We've
only played football for twenty seven years now at the
Division one level, and so it just allows us to
be to be nimble and to adjust to it and
make sure that we position ourselves well and played our strengths.
When you have an AAU institution like USF eleventh, large
largest market like Tampa Bay, sure, and then just kind
(02:41):
of a growing and I hope what's viewed as an
exciting and progressive ethletic department that we're really excited about.
But you're right the historic history of it, I mean,
when the NCA was established in nineteen oh six till
really about five or six years ago, it was in essence,
it might not have been perfect, but it was somewhat
stable about it. Everything was based on competitive balance and amateurism,
(03:04):
on those principles, and with the exception of maybe Title nine,
you know, coming in in seventy two and a handful
of adjustments to postseason play and some things of that nature,
it kind of stayed the same in terms of rules
and and and really as a result of you know,
lawsuits and and and just adapting to more benefits that
in my view student athletes deserve more and more of.
(03:27):
It is caused a lot of disruption at a really
condensed point in time. So it's it's not so much
any one of the elements into themselves. Is the fact
that they're all happening together within five years is really
really hard.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
And you can talk about.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Anil you want transferport, what's really been the combination of
those two at the same time with limited guardrails that's
really kind of caused caused this thing.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
You've gone from.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
No no free agency if you will. Ever, it's now
unlimited free agency with no guardrails within within a you know,
two year period of times.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
How is how does having they you know, you had
two portals once, you know, going at one time getting
I mean academically, how difficult is it for your team
to to navigate the Let's say coach Alex gol Iss,
who's been amazing at the USF football, when coach Goalish
(04:26):
approaches the portal obviously you know you just said it.
Academics is a huge part of the University of South Florida.
What helps with uh getting coach Golishuh the players into
the portal that he needs.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah, you know, it's been something that is upon that
part of that adaptive spirit that I talked about. It's
taken a great connection and communication with the academic side
of campus and the administration. Not that they were They've
always been supportive, but it took we had to be
able to make sure they under stood the changes that
are happening here. So, for instance, your good point on
(05:03):
football when you have when the transfer portal started really
hitting a lot of people with transfer after the football
season's over and try to get them in for that
early January semester to start. And I have to tell
you when I when I five years ago, that was
almost impossible. I remember someone entering the portal when it
first started and could we possibly get them in before
class started the next week? And our missions officers and
(05:24):
everything was, you know, just out of this isn't a
criticism mistry. They were on break or I couldn't really
review the resume, I mean review the transcripts, and so
it really took a lot of explaining, like, this is
the way it's going to be now, and if we're
able to take advantage of bringing young men and women
into UH into our athletic department and the second semester,
(05:45):
we've got to be able to be nimble. Unfortunately, under
the leadership of President Law and our board of Trustees
and the posts and others, they've they've found a way
of that. And it took you know, the missions and
the various people have to review on the Register's office
and everything to understand that and realize that, hey, that's
part of what we need help with to be successful.
And we're so grateful that they've adapted because it means, hey,
(06:07):
it means people that aren't in athletics. That's that they
had to take time off the holiday break or their
semester and do that. But it's all been they realize
the importance and they fulfilled the mission. But that's one
thing that's overlooked, and what's also overlooked when you transfer
a bunch of times, oftentimes you'll have some of the
academic credits that won't transfer to whatever institution you might
be going to, and you're kind of taking a step back.
(06:27):
So we're we're just proud of the adaptability, and we're
also proud of the academic performance of our bulls that's
continued to go to record levels, even up to the
last semester, having our highest great point average ever and
still great graduation percenters. But it's taken the help of
the whole.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Village, if you will, with the whole university.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I think sometimes overlook they think, hey, it's just just
football and just money or this that it's like, no,
you need the whole You need the whole university to
kind of be rowing the boat the same way.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
You know, Michael, you're in a conference the American Athletic conference,
and two of my two people I really enjoy and
been friendly with, Michael Resco who of course who just left,
and Timmy Peretti who just got there are two fantastic people.
(07:18):
I think frankly that the AAC doesn't get the credit
it deserves for the talent and the quality of play
that is going on. I mean, look at your schedule
this year. I mean you've opened with Boise State, then
you go to Florida, and you go to Miami, and
then you at the conference schedule. So it's not you know,
(07:41):
anybody who thinks this is a day in the park
is not paying attention.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
You're very right.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I have a lot of respect for the American We're
grateful to be in it. I mean, you've got you're
right during those you know, even during the CFP as
it continues to expand and grow.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I know we might talk about that.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
That later, but it was for that first ten years,
I think it was seven out of the ten years
of this the CIF of the first ten years of
the CFP that it was the American Champion was really
the one that got that, you know, that that designated
spot for what's so called Group of five and so
that kind of speaks volumes to it, and then you know,
it continued to do well ring out and that's just on.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
The football side.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Obviously, for for all sports it's really done well. So
so I think, you know, it's it's it's it's harmful
in terms of the way the media is kind of
just grabbed on to what they you know, suddenly just
called the P four or whatever, because obviously when you
look at different sports that may not be you know,
it was kind of that whole term and I really
came about from a football standpoint, sure, and the fact
(08:42):
that it's trickle to the other sports all over is
kind of a you know, you look at Big East
basketball or American basketball or others, like, man, you shouldn't
really be calling it anything different than what it is.
This This is a a moniker that that I hope
we can shake going forward.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Yeah, it's you know, qualities regardless of where it is,
no question, and I think you know, the talent that
we all see every Saturday if it's football, or every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday if it's college football. Now that we've expanded things,
(09:17):
it's very very interesting. And of course you also had
a tragic situation in basketball with the death of a
very young, very talented coach and then have to rehire
that position.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
We did.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
As we get to a point here nearing the end
of the school year here, it's been a great year
on some of the fronts because we've had a lot
of success both academically and with some championships in nc
A tournament, burst and many sports. But man, we had
two hurricanes kind of affected us in the fall. The
ultimate metaphorical hurricane when when coach Samir Derraheen passed away
(09:55):
suddenly on us right before about a week or two
before the season started. So that was, you know, just
obviously your heart goes first to his family and then
obviously poured a lot of love into our players and
our staff to try to get through a year under
such such circumstances because he did an amazing thing. We
had built up a lot here as a university and
(10:16):
certainly not my personal interest in our university support for
wanting to make us a very strong basketball school as well,
because we don't have NBA in Tampa. We have a
lot of great sports here in Tampa Bay, but at
pro sports, but we don't have that, so we kind
of pride ourselves to being Tampa Bay's home for hoops
our women. On the women's side, we've made the tournament
eight of the last ten years, so we know we
(10:36):
were very strong there. And three years ago when I
was doing a search to kind of try to just
show people, hey, we've got the facilities, we can be
done and shown on the women's side, we live in
a great market. Amir came to us on faith in
that regard and was a great partner for us in
that and he proved in his very first year, in
his only year with us, when he went out and
won the regular season championship, which we had never done before.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
So it just kind of showed it could be done.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
And now when we had a chance to you know,
conducting others arts this time, and we're able to bring
Brian Hodgson, who's had a great career and his young
career so far masterful recruiter because I think we've got
a top twenty five recruiting.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Class right now.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Uh he's he's he's taking pride and seeing what Emir
did and wanting to build on that legacy with his
own special uh special flare to it. So we're excited
about our basketball fortunes here.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Mcover I spoke with Mike Kruzchewski one time about playing
in the Sundome. Yeah, and and Mike said that he goes.
You know, this is a beautiful place. He goes. It's allowed,
he goes, but he does. And it feels like everybody's
on top of you. But if you're watching I, you
(11:44):
know from the stands he goes, I it's like it's
like going to a theater, he said, It's not like
everybody's on top of each other. Yet you get that
feeling of you know, intimidation. Yeah, they don't get that
off That is Duke into Duke's.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
An amazing atmosphere obviously, but it's here on top of it,
and it's those in the lower eventches.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Can have a camera indoor yeh, yeah, camera.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
But for us when the Angling Center was redone renovated
back in twenty fourteen, it's it's a wonderful facility. We've
got the right kind of premium space for a pro
market like ourselves. We get a great student turnout that
we call the Soflo Rodeo that Amir really gravitated to
and got a lot of increased involvement with but as
(12:27):
was witnessed during our championship run a year ago when
we were selling that thing out throughout the month of February,
it was it was a tough place to play, and
we loved it. It was a great atmosphere and we
look forward to you know, bringing that back again.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Let's talk and now shift Gears. You guys have invested
a great deal of money in building a broadcast center,
and that broadcast center now allows you to produce a
number of events. Let's talk about your relationship in developing
that broadcast center and how it helps your TV partners
(13:03):
like ESPN.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Well, sometimes when things happen so quickly as we've been
talking about, then when I take a look back, that's
probably one of been really been one of the more
meaningful things that we've done to help expand our brand
and to make more people aware of you know what,
I like to think of some comprehensive excellence here at
USF because you know, before I, before I got here,
you know, you might have some game streamed here and
(13:25):
there on the website and whatever, But really to the
men you mentioned Commissioner Risco and he did the latest
deal with ESPN as related to our television rights for
the American Athletic Conference. It gave us all an opportunity
to be involved with ESPN Plus, but encouraged us to
all make sure we can try to take care of
(13:46):
our own broadcasting and and some do it. There's there's
minimum requirements, but we have taken pride and not only
trying to provide the best quality that we can provide,
but we have certainly provided the most in terms of
you know, broadcasting all every one of our team sports
here at home. So now our fans worldwide are now
accustomed to watching whether it's baseball, softball, soccer, uh, you know,
(14:11):
you name it there, we're lacrosse where we're broadcasting live
and it's on a quality ESPN Plus standpoint. So we
think it's been great for our fans. It's been great
for again, as I said, to promote our brand and
our student athletes and you know it just it's just
just it's been a great, great tool for us. We're
able to put some other shoulder programming on there and uh,
(14:31):
and it's also been great because now when ESPN comes
to town, because we have the kind of control room
and ability that we have there, they like to work
with us because they don't have to bring the truck
and we've got the right uh, you know, fiber and
the right the right type of a control room to
make sure they have an easier and less expensive way
to promote, you know, to produce that broadcast. And maybe
(14:52):
the best thing Jim as a as an alum of
this place, is yeah, we've got some key people that
you know, help us run the show on our broadcasting department,
but man, it's almost exclusively run by students on the
production side. And so that's such a great opportunity. And
what we should be doing in a higher education institution
obviously is providing internship and real life experiences for these
young people.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You know, with the change of streaming and all of
this different thing. What you just spoke of the young
people getting a chance to produce direct run camera audio,
getting all of the information of how to do that
hands on, uh, and doing it for a national audience.
(15:34):
That's not what you're doing. It's all your you know,
this is not local cable. Uh. This is a national audience.
So I mean that's a phenomenal plus to have that,
and it's a great opportunity for these young people to
to get better at what they do.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
And obviously on the on the sports broadcasting side, that's
that's really really important. We have a robust internship program
here that we serve both the University of South Florida
students primarily, but even the University of Tampa's got a
great D two program just down the road.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
They get We have a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Of students there that want to help us, whether it's
an event management, marketing, operations, broadcasting, you name, sports information.
So so all of it kind of comes into play.
But it's we're better to were you know, to do
that than right here in the Tampa Bay market where
there's so many things to do. And then they get
in turn, get that experience and want to get jobs
either with us or it's one of the pro teams
in the market, which is really really really cool. So
(16:28):
and so again between those experiences we can provide and
we've got an awesome uh it's called it's the Venic
School of Sport and Entertainment Management. It's an MBA program
here that's you know, considered one of the best in
the country by far, and we get a lot of
great employees and and folks.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
That work for both you know, all the pro.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Teams and ourselves and so finding ways to create Uh,
that's one of the you know, one of the you know,
special things about college sports or our being on college
campus when you're able to kind of have that kind
of involvement with with the students.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Well, back in the when I was producing in directing
for Sports Channel and used to have to go do
the games over USFA was always a treat. But we
we have schlepped the truck over, the crew the whole
ten yards. So it's now that I can't imagine the
joy that a ESPN producer would have to coming down
(17:20):
there and going, hey, I'll have to just plug in
a way we go.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
I know that's a good control room plug.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Yeah. Plug and play is.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Also amazing nowadays, as you know, for I mean, ESPN
does so many remote broadcasts and stuff from all over
the world and all over the country, doing the not
only the you know, the stream broadcast on ESPN Plus
or or doing it for their linear channels, but the
end game productions all being done kind of from an
adjacent but separate control room. Are all shure things that
(17:50):
not only are we doing but so many colleges are
doing across the country, and I think it's really really cool.
And even with our new stadium coming online in the
next two years, we're building the control room actually in
the same area. That's actually gonna even the stadiums are
about two hundred yards from there. It's they'll produce a
lot of that straight from in there, which helps us
save some you know more what do you say, more
(18:11):
revenue generating real estate over the stadium that we don't
have to take up with the control room because we
can do that.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You know, that can that can take away stuff. Let's
talk about the College Football Playoff Association. Now you you
served on as the COO of that group and now
you're on the other side. I personally think they've done
a lot of things right. I might be in the
(18:37):
minority on that, but I do think they've done a
lot of things right. What do you think is that
the future is the CFP? The future is this concept
of a super league the future?
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Well that's the that's a multi million dollar question before
we answer the next couple of couple of years. But
I think the great thing is that the CFP has
provided the again, the appropriate growth and evolution of the
postseason for what's currently referred to as you know, Football
Bowl Subdivision Football the FBS. You know, before CFP, obviously
(19:14):
there was the BCS, and that matched up number one
versus number two, and that eventually ran its course because
people felt that other teams beyond one and two and
didn't necessarily like the way number one and number two
were selected.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
But what I think people sometimes forget is for the
fifty six years I think before the BCS was established,
number one and number two only played like eight times,
and that was totally you know, so it's you went
from you know, in essence to the media picking the
national champion based on a whole bunch of great games
on New Year's Day, which is a cool tradition, but
that obviously had to evolve in the BCS got us
(19:46):
to at least playing one versus two, even if there
was some faultiness and who was one and two? So
at least then the CFP when it was first established,
when I was able to work for the commissioners there,
that was you know, getting up to four and then
obviously the evolution that just took place now to twelve.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
So I'm hopeful I would have.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Been in my old in my old seat, and certainly
in the curlin. I always assume that there'd be some expansion,
and I obviously where I sit now, I hope there
will continue to me because you know, it's.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
So important for us.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
I'll just speak for for where I sit at Fever South, Florida.
I mean having the ability to at least have access
to the you know, pre eminent you know football event
and college football is is so important. It's important for recruiting,
it's important for our fans. You know, you have to
keeping that access to have a chance is so important
and keeps our keeps the whole college football ecosystem interested forever. Now,
(20:41):
I also fully realized as a former social commissioner at
the ACC and and working with all the conferences in
different ways, you can't you can't debate that that the
current P four conferences deserve multiple abilities to get multiple
tread in there. I mean that they absolutely have that
that quality. It deserves that so that as a result,
(21:02):
I hope it keeps growing. Whether it becomes sixteen, whether
it becomes twenty twenty four, who knows.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And there's all kinds of logistical challenges to.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
How big you get with actually bound er with with
competition with the NFL, with how long the regular season is.
So there's a lot of things that aren't as easy
as they seen. But I really would hope we could
find an expansion number that gives the power for conference
is what they deserve and need in terms of the
number of teams, but still, you know, hopefully even expanding
further what the rest of the FBS can access because
(21:32):
it's it's critical for us and we'd love currently the
ability for coach Goalis to go tell our guys, hey,
if you win the you win the American It's not
a shoe in yet.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I wish it was. I'd love for all the you know,
the conference.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Championship to get their champion if it was big enough,
if the format was big enough, but at least saying, hey,
let's take care of business. If we win the conference,
then that's going to at least get us into conversation,
and that's what you shoot for at this point in time.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Only have one problem with the tweaks they made this time,
actually two One, the Orange Bowl should never be played
in the daytime. That's a nighttime game. Put it back where.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Bull Number two I can agree with you.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Then number two is I used to do the term
of Roses Parade, and it was timed so that we
could get when it was over, people could get to
the Rose Ball. You take that hour away, that's gonna
make for I don't well, you.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Know, I've been there.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Pasadena is a little town, Okay, get me, folks. It's
not big. Uh it's Brandon, Okay, with a football stadium.
So it does cause a bit of a grief there.
But that's my problem, not yours. Michael. We've come to
this part of the show, which I deemed shameless. Plugs,
feel free to tell us all about what's going on
(22:55):
at USF. I know, you know some people don't realize this, folks,
but after college basketball, there's still a lot of sports
to be done.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Oh absolutely there is.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
And you know, we're just proud of all the momentum
that we've got at the University of South Florida. If
you're not familiar with us out there, I mean we're
in right there in Tampa, Florida. So the beautiful Tampa
Bay region, the big market, great place to live, great
place to visit.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
As I mentioned earlier in AAU.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Institutions so meaning one of the top highly regarded institutions
in all of North America. So we're very proud of that,
and an athletic department that's I think a lot of
fun and showing a lot of success. Our football team
is won back to back Bowl game and back to
back Bowl games and one of only fifteen teams that
have done that in the last two years. We've talked
a little bit about our basketball success earlier in this broadcast.
(23:42):
We're ranked, we're in the nca tournament right now in tennis,
In golf, we're in second place in our league. In baseball,
we're in second place in our league in softball. We
just finished our very first year women's lacrosse where we're
finished second there and then heading to our concerts tournament
right now. So just the tip of the but just
so much success, a lot of focus on comprehensive excellence,
(24:04):
and you know, we think the future is extremely bright
and we're positioned really well for USLF.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
And again, we know, you know, the things are changing,
right we.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Know that there's a lot of uncertainty and you can't
ever guarantee you know, you're going to stay in this
conference of that conference. You can't ever guarantee that we're
hopeful that the American gets to do credit that they
deserves for all of our institutions to keep moving up
and or being considered amongst the elite, which we think
we are. So all this has happened at the same time,
(24:34):
but really the only thing you can do that we're
doing here at us F is like, Hey, let's pour
all the resources you possibly can and try to stress
that to all of our donors, like, hey, the time
is now right. You can't because because of the uncertain
that we imagine we'll be sorted out in the next
one to five years. Hey, this is the time you've
got to show that you want to play at that
(24:54):
at that tier, whatever that tier may be in the future.
You want to show success and you want to show
Evans being both as an institution and as a as
a market. And that's why we're just putting a lot
of focus on being the best that we can be
and you know, winning as many championship as we can,
keep being great ambassadors of this great university. And we
(25:16):
just we just have a lot of faith and just
can't imagine that, you know, no matter how it's format
in the future. Who wouldn't want to all those different
ingredients of what the University of South Florida offers in
terms of again market university, you know, greatness, and then
obviously a comprehensively excellent athletic department with the brand new
(25:36):
stadium that's going to be opening in twenty twenty seven,
great arena that art exists. I really think when we
finished this stadium here Jim and we just got the
board final approval this afternoon to kind of move forward
with that. I think it's one of the finest athletic
districts in all the country because I say that since
we are so young, we've been able to control our
real estate and the whole East campus is really athletically
(25:58):
oriented and so respectfully when I look at some of
the schools that might have had one hundred years start
on us and other things, they might have to build
a new facility a mile or two away, or you
know something else, which is still great, but for us
to be able to have it all and a nice
concise footprint makes it when you look five, ten, twenty
thirty years down the road. I think a really efficient
training ground for the elite athletes that all Division one
(26:19):
athletes are and certainly the ones we want to have
here at USF So we're.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Just trying to position ourselves for the future.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
And like I said, keep living by a mantra of
building a model athletic department from modern times.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
You know, one last thing, and that is your point
about the area right the Bay area. You just finished
hosting the women's Final four, You've hosted the men's final four,
You've hosted the Frozen Four, You've you know, the cfp
FP Championship. You know played what was the third one?
(26:52):
I think, yeah, we've played, and then you're getting another
one here in a couple of years. So it's a
it's an area of the country where champions come, teams come,
folks come, they see but us if it's because a
lot of the kids train out there whenever they come
to play there.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
So we love all championships here and we have a
great sports commission. Sports commission, A guy named Rob Higgins
is another usfalon that wants that and all those events
you mentioned are so key to us, and we think
it's we think it's great.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Well, the future so bright. Hopefully we have to wear
shades and horns up so Michael, thanks for coming by
and joining us this afternoon, and we look forward to
talking to you later in the year.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
It's my pleasure and we're proud to have a bull
like you out there who are sharing the news, so
thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
It's always a pleasure, my friend,
Good to everybody. I am. I'm excited for this one
because this is Michael Kelly. Michael is the vice president
of Athletics at the University of South Florida, my alma mater. So, Michael,
we share the bulls man, we share.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
The bulls horns. Up. I'm proud all the way around.
I'm going to talk to our steam the looms. It's
really good. And I'm from DC, so we kind of
have double things in common here.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Yeah, yeah, we're We're hanging there right with each other. Michael.
You know, I gotta say from my forty some years
in covering college sports, both as a producer, director and
and at times, you know, a writer, this is probably
(01:06):
the most difficult time to negotiate and navigate your way
through athletics. You've got a budget which is right around
one hundred million dollars. It's to me amazing with the
portal and nil all of the stuff going on, your
(01:27):
job must be a whole lot more different than what
you thought it might have been, say, five or ten
years ago.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
I mean when I came into this role just under
seven years ago, you know, but what I what I
thought being an athletic director would be like, is certainly
a lot different now, but it's it's it's fascinating and
it's hard. It's something you have to adjust to, you
have to be nimble, but you know, I find it
intellectually stimulating and I'm grateful for the support that we
get both with our staff here and our administration and
(01:58):
our coaches that are all being very adaptive and really
looking for ways that we try to We often say
we're trying to be a model athletic department for modern
times because as you know, South Floor is a relatively
young institution when only being being even established in nineteen
fifty six, so we're all, you know, we might be
even better, you know, better prepared or better positioned to
(02:20):
be adaptive because we don't have centuries of tradition. We've
only played football for twenty seven years now at the
Division one level, and so it just allows us to
be to be nimble and to adjust to it and
make sure that we position ourselves well and played our strengths.
When you have an AAU institution like USF eleventh, large
largest market like Tampa Bay, sure, and then just kind
(02:41):
of a growing and I hope what's viewed as an
exciting and progressive ethletic department that we're really excited about.
But you're right the historic history of it, I mean,
when the NCA was established in nineteen oh six till
really about five or six years ago, it was in essence,
it might not have been perfect, but it was somewhat
stable about it. Everything was based on competitive balance and amateurism,
(03:04):
on those principles, and with the exception of maybe Title nine,
you know, coming in in seventy two and a handful
of adjustments to postseason play and some things of that nature,
it kind of stayed the same in terms of rules
and and and really as a result of you know,
lawsuits and and and just adapting to more benefits that
in my view student athletes deserve more and more of.
(03:27):
It is caused a lot of disruption at a really
condensed point in time. So it's it's not so much
any one of the elements into themselves. Is the fact
that they're all happening together within five years is really
really hard.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
And you can talk about.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Anil you want transferport, what's really been the combination of
those two at the same time with limited guardrails that's
really kind of caused caused this thing.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
You've gone from.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
No no free agency if you will. Ever, it's now
unlimited free agency with no guardrails within within a you know,
two year period of times.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
How is how does having they you know, you had
two portals once, you know, going at one time getting
I mean academically, how difficult is it for your team
to to navigate the Let's say coach Alex gol Iss,
who's been amazing at the USF football, when coach Goalish
(04:26):
approaches the portal obviously you know you just said it.
Academics is a huge part of the University of South Florida.
What helps with uh getting coach Golishuh the players into
the portal that he needs.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah, you know, it's been something that is upon that
part of that adaptive spirit that I talked about. It's
taken a great connection and communication with the academic side
of campus and the administration. Not that they were They've
always been supportive, but it took we had to be
able to make sure they under stood the changes that
are happening here. So, for instance, your good point on
(05:03):
football when you have when the transfer portal started really
hitting a lot of people with transfer after the football
season's over and try to get them in for that
early January semester to start. And I have to tell
you when I when I five years ago, that was
almost impossible. I remember someone entering the portal when it
first started and could we possibly get them in before
class started the next week? And our missions officers and
(05:24):
everything was, you know, just out of this isn't a
criticism mistry. They were on break or I couldn't really
review the resume, I mean review the transcripts, and so
it really took a lot of explaining, like, this is
the way it's going to be now, and if we're
able to take advantage of bringing young men and women
into UH into our athletic department and the second semester,
(05:45):
we've got to be able to be nimble. Unfortunately, under
the leadership of President Law and our board of Trustees
and the posts and others, they've they've found a way
of that. And it took you know, the missions and
the various people have to review on the Register's office
and everything to understand that and realize that, hey, that's
part of what we need help with to be successful.
And we're so grateful that they've adapted because it means, hey,
(06:07):
it means people that aren't in athletics. That's that they
had to take time off the holiday break or their
semester and do that. But it's all been they realize
the importance and they fulfilled the mission. But that's one
thing that's overlooked, and what's also overlooked when you transfer
a bunch of times, oftentimes you'll have some of the
academic credits that won't transfer to whatever institution you might
be going to, and you're kind of taking a step back.
(06:27):
So we're we're just proud of the adaptability, and we're
also proud of the academic performance of our bulls that's
continued to go to record levels, even up to the
last semester, having our highest great point average ever and
still great graduation percenters. But it's taken the help of
the whole.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Village, if you will, with the whole university.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I think sometimes overlook they think, hey, it's just just
football and just money or this that it's like, no,
you need the whole You need the whole university to
kind of be rowing the boat the same way.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
You know, Michael, you're in a conference the American Athletic conference,
and two of my two people I really enjoy and
been friendly with, Michael Resco who of course who just left,
and Timmy Peretti who just got there are two fantastic people.
(07:18):
I think frankly that the AAC doesn't get the credit
it deserves for the talent and the quality of play
that is going on. I mean, look at your schedule
this year. I mean you've opened with Boise State, then
you go to Florida, and you go to Miami, and
then you at the conference schedule. So it's not you know,
(07:41):
anybody who thinks this is a day in the park
is not paying attention.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
You're very right.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
I have a lot of respect for the American We're
grateful to be in it. I mean, you've got you're
right during those you know, even during the CFP as
it continues to expand and grow.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I know we might talk about that.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
That later, but it was for that first ten years,
I think it was seven out of the ten years
of this the CIF of the first ten years of
the CFP that it was the American Champion was really
the one that got that, you know, that that designated
spot for what's so called Group of five and so
that kind of speaks volumes to it, and then you know,
it continued to do well ring out and that's just on.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
The football side.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Obviously, for for all sports it's really done well. So
so I think, you know, it's it's it's it's harmful
in terms of the way the media is kind of
just grabbed on to what they you know, suddenly just
called the P four or whatever, because obviously when you
look at different sports that may not be you know,
it was kind of that whole term and I really
came about from a football standpoint, sure, and the fact
(08:42):
that it's trickle to the other sports all over is
kind of a you know, you look at Big East
basketball or American basketball or others, like, man, you shouldn't
really be calling it anything different than what it is.
This This is a a moniker that that I hope
we can shake going forward.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Yeah, it's you know, qualities regardless of where it is,
no question, and I think you know, the talent that
we all see every Saturday if it's football, or every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday if it's college football. Now that we've expanded things,
(09:17):
it's very very interesting. And of course you also had
a tragic situation in basketball with the death of a
very young, very talented coach and then have to rehire
that position.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
We did.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
As we get to a point here nearing the end
of the school year here, it's been a great year
on some of the fronts because we've had a lot
of success both academically and with some championships in nc
A tournament, burst and many sports. But man, we had
two hurricanes kind of affected us in the fall. The
ultimate metaphorical hurricane when when coach Samir Derraheen passed away
(09:55):
suddenly on us right before about a week or two
before the season started. So that was, you know, just
obviously your heart goes first to his family and then
obviously poured a lot of love into our players and
our staff to try to get through a year under
such such circumstances because he did an amazing thing. We
had built up a lot here as a university and
(10:16):
certainly not my personal interest in our university support for
wanting to make us a very strong basketball school as well,
because we don't have NBA in Tampa. We have a
lot of great sports here in Tampa Bay, but at
pro sports, but we don't have that, so we kind
of pride ourselves to being Tampa Bay's home for hoops
our women. On the women's side, we've made the tournament
eight of the last ten years, so we know we
(10:36):
were very strong there. And three years ago when I
was doing a search to kind of try to just
show people, hey, we've got the facilities, we can be
done and shown on the women's side, we live in
a great market. Amir came to us on faith in
that regard and was a great partner for us in
that and he proved in his very first year, in
his only year with us, when he went out and
won the regular season championship, which we had never done before.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
So it just kind of showed it could be done.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
And now when we had a chance to you know,
conducting others arts this time, and we're able to bring
Brian Hodgson, who's had a great career and his young
career so far masterful recruiter because I think we've got
a top twenty five recruiting.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
Class right now.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Uh he's he's he's taking pride and seeing what Emir
did and wanting to build on that legacy with his
own special uh special flare to it. So we're excited
about our basketball fortunes here.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
Mcover I spoke with Mike Kruzchewski one time about playing
in the Sundome. Yeah, and and Mike said that he goes.
You know, this is a beautiful place. He goes. It's allowed,
he goes, but he does. And it feels like everybody's
on top of you. But if you're watching I, you
(11:44):
know from the stands he goes, I it's like it's
like going to a theater, he said, It's not like
everybody's on top of each other. Yet you get that
feeling of you know, intimidation. Yeah, they don't get that
off That is Duke into Duke's.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
An amazing atmosphere obviously, but it's here on top of it,
and it's those in the lower eventches.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Can have a camera indoor yeh, yeah, camera.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
But for us when the Angling Center was redone renovated
back in twenty fourteen, it's it's a wonderful facility. We've
got the right kind of premium space for a pro
market like ourselves. We get a great student turnout that
we call the Soflo Rodeo that Amir really gravitated to
and got a lot of increased involvement with but as
(12:27):
was witnessed during our championship run a year ago when
we were selling that thing out throughout the month of February,
it was it was a tough place to play, and
we loved it. It was a great atmosphere and we
look forward to you know, bringing that back again.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Let's talk and now shift Gears. You guys have invested
a great deal of money in building a broadcast center,
and that broadcast center now allows you to produce a
number of events. Let's talk about your relationship in developing
that broadcast center and how it helps your TV partners
(13:03):
like ESPN.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Well, sometimes when things happen so quickly as we've been
talking about, then when I take a look back, that's
probably one of been really been one of the more
meaningful things that we've done to help expand our brand
and to make more people aware of you know what,
I like to think of some comprehensive excellence here at
USF because you know, before I, before I got here,
you know, you might have some game streamed here and
(13:25):
there on the website and whatever, But really to the
men you mentioned Commissioner Risco and he did the latest
deal with ESPN as related to our television rights for
the American Athletic Conference. It gave us all an opportunity
to be involved with ESPN Plus, but encouraged us to
all make sure we can try to take care of
(13:46):
our own broadcasting and and some do it. There's there's
minimum requirements, but we have taken pride and not only
trying to provide the best quality that we can provide,
but we have certainly provided the most in terms of
you know, broadcasting all every one of our team sports
here at home. So now our fans worldwide are now
accustomed to watching whether it's baseball, softball, soccer, uh, you know,
(14:11):
you name it there, we're lacrosse where we're broadcasting live
and it's on a quality ESPN Plus standpoint. So we
think it's been great for our fans. It's been great
for again, as I said, to promote our brand and
our student athletes and you know it just it's just
just it's been a great, great tool for us. We're
able to put some other shoulder programming on there and uh,
(14:31):
and it's also been great because now when ESPN comes
to town, because we have the kind of control room
and ability that we have there, they like to work
with us because they don't have to bring the truck
and we've got the right uh, you know, fiber and
the right the right type of a control room to
make sure they have an easier and less expensive way
to promote, you know, to produce that broadcast. And maybe
(14:52):
the best thing Jim as a as an alum of
this place, is yeah, we've got some key people that
you know, help us run the show on our broadcasting department,
but man, it's almost exclusively run by students on the
production side. And so that's such a great opportunity. And
what we should be doing in a higher education institution
obviously is providing internship and real life experiences for these
young people.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You know, with the change of streaming and all of
this different thing. What you just spoke of the young
people getting a chance to produce direct run camera audio,
getting all of the information of how to do that
hands on, uh, and doing it for a national audience.
(15:34):
That's not what you're doing. It's all your you know,
this is not local cable. Uh. This is a national audience.
So I mean that's a phenomenal plus to have that,
and it's a great opportunity for these young people to
to get better at what they do.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Yeah, I love that.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
And obviously on the on the sports broadcasting side, that's
that's really really important. We have a robust internship program
here that we serve both the University of South Florida
students primarily, but even the University of Tampa's got a
great D two program just down the road.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
They get We have a lot.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Of students there that want to help us, whether it's
an event management, marketing, operations, broadcasting, you name, sports information.
So so all of it kind of comes into play.
But it's we're better to were you know, to do
that than right here in the Tampa Bay market where
there's so many things to do. And then they get
in turn, get that experience and want to get jobs
either with us or it's one of the pro teams
in the market, which is really really really cool. So
(16:28):
and so again between those experiences we can provide and
we've got an awesome uh it's called it's the Venic
School of Sport and Entertainment Management. It's an MBA program
here that's you know, considered one of the best in
the country by far, and we get a lot of
great employees and and folks.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
That work for both you know, all the pro.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Teams and ourselves and so finding ways to create Uh,
that's one of the you know, one of the you know,
special things about college sports or our being on college
campus when you're able to kind of have that kind
of involvement with with the students.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Well, back in the when I was producing in directing
for Sports Channel and used to have to go do
the games over USFA was always a treat. But we
we have schlepped the truck over, the crew the whole
ten yards. So it's now that I can't imagine the
joy that a ESPN producer would have to coming down
(17:20):
there and going, hey, I'll have to just plug in
a way we go.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
I know that's a good control room plug.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Yeah. Plug and play is.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
Also amazing nowadays, as you know, for I mean, ESPN
does so many remote broadcasts and stuff from all over
the world and all over the country, doing the not
only the you know, the stream broadcast on ESPN Plus
or or doing it for their linear channels, but the
end game productions all being done kind of from an
adjacent but separate control room. Are all shure things that
(17:50):
not only are we doing but so many colleges are
doing across the country, and I think it's really really cool.
And even with our new stadium coming online in the
next two years, we're building the control room actually in
the same area. That's actually gonna even the stadiums are
about two hundred yards from there. It's they'll produce a
lot of that straight from in there, which helps us
save some you know more what do you say, more
(18:11):
revenue generating real estate over the stadium that we don't
have to take up with the control room because we
can do that.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You know, that can that can take away stuff. Let's
talk about the College Football Playoff Association. Now you you
served on as the COO of that group and now
you're on the other side. I personally think they've done
a lot of things right. I might be in the
(18:37):
minority on that, but I do think they've done a
lot of things right. What do you think is that
the future is the CFP? The future is this concept
of a super league the future?
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Well that's the that's a multi million dollar question before
we answer the next couple of couple of years. But
I think the great thing is that the CFP has
provided the again, the appropriate growth and evolution of the
postseason for what's currently referred to as you know, Football
Bowl Subdivision Football the FBS. You know, before CFP, obviously
(19:14):
there was the BCS, and that matched up number one
versus number two, and that eventually ran its course because
people felt that other teams beyond one and two and
didn't necessarily like the way number one and number two
were selected.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
But what I think people sometimes forget is for the
fifty six years I think before the BCS was established,
number one and number two only played like eight times,
and that was totally you know, so it's you went
from you know, in essence to the media picking the
national champion based on a whole bunch of great games
on New Year's Day, which is a cool tradition, but
that obviously had to evolve in the BCS got us
(19:46):
to at least playing one versus two, even if there
was some faultiness and who was one and two? So
at least then the CFP when it was first established,
when I was able to work for the commissioners there,
that was you know, getting up to four and then
obviously the evolution that just took place now to twelve.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
So I'm hopeful I would have.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Been in my old in my old seat, and certainly
in the curlin. I always assume that there'd be some expansion,
and I obviously where I sit now, I hope there
will continue to me because you know, it's.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
So important for us.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
I'll just speak for for where I sit at Fever South, Florida.
I mean having the ability to at least have access
to the you know, pre eminent you know football event
and college football is is so important. It's important for recruiting,
it's important for our fans. You know, you have to
keeping that access to have a chance is so important
and keeps our keeps the whole college football ecosystem interested forever. Now,
(20:41):
I also fully realized as a former social commissioner at
the ACC and and working with all the conferences in
different ways, you can't you can't debate that that the
current P four conferences deserve multiple abilities to get multiple
tread in there. I mean that they absolutely have that
that quality. It deserves that so that as a result,
(21:02):
I hope it keeps growing. Whether it becomes sixteen, whether
it becomes twenty twenty four, who knows.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And there's all kinds of logistical challenges to.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
How big you get with actually bound er with with
competition with the NFL, with how long the regular season is.
So there's a lot of things that aren't as easy
as they seen. But I really would hope we could
find an expansion number that gives the power for conference
is what they deserve and need in terms of the
number of teams, but still, you know, hopefully even expanding
further what the rest of the FBS can access because
(21:32):
it's it's critical for us and we'd love currently the
ability for coach Goalis to go tell our guys, hey,
if you win the you win the American It's not
a shoe in yet.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I wish it was. I'd love for all the you know,
the conference.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Championship to get their champion if it was big enough,
if the format was big enough, but at least saying, hey,
let's take care of business. If we win the conference,
then that's going to at least get us into conversation,
and that's what you shoot for at this point in time.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
Only have one problem with the tweaks they made this time,
actually two One, the Orange Bowl should never be played
in the daytime. That's a nighttime game. Put it back where.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Bull Number two I can agree with you.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Then number two is I used to do the term
of Roses Parade, and it was timed so that we
could get when it was over, people could get to
the Rose Ball. You take that hour away, that's gonna
make for I don't well, you.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Know, I've been there.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Pasadena is a little town, Okay, get me, folks. It's
not big. Uh it's Brandon, Okay, with a football stadium.
So it does cause a bit of a grief there.
But that's my problem, not yours. Michael. We've come to
this part of the show, which I deemed shameless. Plugs,
feel free to tell us all about what's going on
(22:55):
at USF. I know, you know some people don't realize this, folks,
but after college basketball, there's still a lot of sports
to be done.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Oh absolutely there is.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
And you know, we're just proud of all the momentum
that we've got at the University of South Florida. If
you're not familiar with us out there, I mean we're
in right there in Tampa, Florida. So the beautiful Tampa
Bay region, the big market, great place to live, great
place to visit.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
As I mentioned earlier in AAU.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Institutions so meaning one of the top highly regarded institutions
in all of North America. So we're very proud of that,
and an athletic department that's I think a lot of
fun and showing a lot of success. Our football team
is won back to back Bowl game and back to
back Bowl games and one of only fifteen teams that
have done that in the last two years. We've talked
a little bit about our basketball success earlier in this broadcast.
(23:42):
We're ranked, we're in the nca tournament right now in tennis,
In golf, we're in second place in our league. In baseball,
we're in second place in our league in softball. We
just finished our very first year women's lacrosse where we're
finished second there and then heading to our concerts tournament
right now. So just the tip of the but just
so much success, a lot of focus on comprehensive excellence,
(24:04):
and you know, we think the future is extremely bright
and we're positioned really well for USLF.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
And again, we know, you know, the things are changing,
right we.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Know that there's a lot of uncertainty and you can't
ever guarantee you know, you're going to stay in this
conference of that conference. You can't ever guarantee that we're
hopeful that the American gets to do credit that they
deserves for all of our institutions to keep moving up
and or being considered amongst the elite, which we think
we are. So all this has happened at the same time,
(24:34):
but really the only thing you can do that we're
doing here at us F is like, Hey, let's pour
all the resources you possibly can and try to stress
that to all of our donors, like, hey, the time
is now right. You can't because because of the uncertain
that we imagine we'll be sorted out in the next
one to five years. Hey, this is the time you've
got to show that you want to play at that
(24:54):
at that tier, whatever that tier may be in the future.
You want to show success and you want to show
Evans being both as an institution and as a as
a market. And that's why we're just putting a lot
of focus on being the best that we can be
and you know, winning as many championship as we can,
keep being great ambassadors of this great university. And we
(25:16):
just we just have a lot of faith and just
can't imagine that, you know, no matter how it's format
in the future. Who wouldn't want to all those different
ingredients of what the University of South Florida offers in
terms of again market university, you know, greatness, and then
obviously a comprehensively excellent athletic department with the brand new
(25:36):
stadium that's going to be opening in twenty twenty seven,
great arena that art exists. I really think when we
finished this stadium here Jim and we just got the
board final approval this afternoon to kind of move forward
with that. I think it's one of the finest athletic
districts in all the country because I say that since
we are so young, we've been able to control our
real estate and the whole East campus is really athletically
(25:58):
oriented and so respectfully when I look at some of
the schools that might have had one hundred years start
on us and other things, they might have to build
a new facility a mile or two away, or you
know something else, which is still great, but for us
to be able to have it all and a nice
concise footprint makes it when you look five, ten, twenty
thirty years down the road. I think a really efficient
training ground for the elite athletes that all Division one
(26:19):
athletes are and certainly the ones we want to have
here at USF So we're.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
Just trying to position ourselves for the future.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
And like I said, keep living by a mantra of
building a model athletic department from modern times.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
You know, one last thing, and that is your point
about the area right the Bay area. You just finished
hosting the women's Final four, You've hosted the men's final four,
You've hosted the Frozen Four, You've you know, the cfp
FP Championship. You know played what was the third one?
(26:52):
I think, yeah, we've played, and then you're getting another
one here in a couple of years. So it's a
it's an area of the country where champions come, teams come,
folks come, they see but us if it's because a
lot of the kids train out there whenever they come
to play there.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
So we love all championships here and we have a
great sports commission. Sports commission, A guy named Rob Higgins
is another usfalon that wants that and all those events
you mentioned are so key to us, and we think
it's we think it's great.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Well, the future so bright. Hopefully we have to wear
shades and horns up so Michael, thanks for coming by
and joining us this afternoon, and we look forward to
talking to you later in the year.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
It's my pleasure and we're proud to have a bull
like you out there who are sharing the news, so
thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
It's always a pleasure, my friend,
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