Notre Dame’s athletic director previously served as the chairman of NBC Sports. The University of Kentucky recently became the first school to convert its athletic department to a limited-liability holding company, Champions Blue LLC, which the school said will allow it to find new revenue “through public-private partnerships and potentially other transactions, such as real estate.”
Advertisement
These are two examples Vanderbilt chancellor Daniel Diermeier gave Wednesday in explaining his school’s creation of a strategic initiative called Vanderbilt Enterprises, with longtime hospitality industry leader Markus Schreyer hired as CEO. The professionalization of college athletics goes well beyond athlete compensation. Vanderbilt is the latest, but won’t be the last, school to take a creative approach.
But Diermeier’s real inspiration wasn’t too far from where he was speaking Wednesday, in London, before hosting an event for Vanderbilt donors. He studied several professional sports franchises, some in the Premier League in England, including Manchester City FC.
“Manchester City built next to its stadium the second-largest concert venue in the United Kingdom, the biggest one outside London, so you can have concerts there and create a whole kind of weekend there for people going to a Manchester City game,” Diermeier said of a complex that also includes a hotel, museum and fan zone. “Well, we don’t have to build a concert venue. We’re in Nashville.”
This is not the first time a Vanderbilt official has mentioned the idea of capitalizing on the tourism haven that bustles just outside the walls of the university. But this is the first time such words have been accompanied by actual strategy and investment.
The idea, Diermeier said, is for Vanderbilt athletics to be part of the equation for tourists. And visitors who are in town for business conferences. And young families and young professionals who aren’t necessarily alums or longtime fans. As Vanderbilt Enterprises CEO, Schreyer will essentially be “chief revenue officer” for Vandy athletics, Diermeier said, and the hospitality background is key.
“How does it translate into resources? How can you enhance the fan experience?” Diermeier said. “If you run a hotel or a type of event venue, or anything on the hospitality side, you want to create new experiences and new value for people, just like they do at Disney or the Grand Ole Opry.”
Advertisement
The timing relates to upheaval in college athletics, with schools preparing to share millions in revenue directly with athletes as terms of a lawsuit settlement that could be approved any day. Diermeier compared this time period to the late 1970s in the airline industry, after federal deregulation dropped prices, allowed upstart brands to emerge and actually helped the industry flourish despite doomsday predictions.
“Everybody has to get ready for the new world, and you have to set aside all paradigms and develop new ideas,” he said. “It’s going to be an era where disruption will be needed and will be rewarded.”
The timing also coincides with a strengthening of the Vanderbilt product to embolden such pursuits.
“Beating Alabama and whole goalpost thing? That didn’t hurt,” Diermeier said of a 2024 football win that ranks among the greatest in school history.
In five years under Diermeier and athletic director Candice Lee, hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised, facilities have been transformed and the most important teams have gained momentum.
The 2024-25 school year has a case as the best in modern history — the Bama-beating football team won a bowl game and both basketball teams made the NCAA Tournament — especially if Tim Corbin’s baseball team can make a big run in the next few weeks.
Lee celebrated her fifth anniversary on Wednesday and was one of five finalists for Athletic Director of the Year, given at the Sports Business Awards in New York. Tennessee’s Danny White won the award. Lee was previously named Athletic Director of the Year by the National Association of College Directors of Athletics.
“If you’re the AD of Vanderbilt, all you have ever wanted is for the university to strategically invest in athletics,” said Lee, who wasn’t able to attend the awards ceremony because of a recent knee surgery. “In my five years (as AD), I’ve had that. This chancellor, everything he’s said we’re going to do, we’ve done. Every single thing I’ve asked Daniel Diermeier for, he has said yes.”
Advertisement
Vanderbilt has unique challenges and advantages. But finding new revenue streams, thinking more like pro franchises and riding through inevitable industry storms ahead are widespread experiences.
“I do think this can be a trailblazing model,” Lee said. “But everyone’s going to have their own way of doing it.”
(Photo: Steve Roberts / Imagn Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Adam Silver says NBA will make decision on expansion in 2026, cites Seattle and Las Vegas as possibilities
The NBA has been flirting with expansion for years now, but Adam Silver says a decision is coming in 2026.The NBA commissioner told reporters Tuesday before the NBA Cup championship game the league will make a "determination" about domestic expansion next year. He specifically named Seattle and Las Vegas as possibilities for new teams, citing Seattle's past with the SuperSonics and the many NBA-connected activities already held in Vegas.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis comments:"I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two incredible cities. Obviously, we had a team in Seattle that had great success. We have a WNBA team in Las Vegas in the Aces. We've been playing the Summer League here for 20 years. Playing our Cup games here, so we're very familiar with this market. I don't have any doubt that Las Vegas is, despite all the major league teams here and […]
No. 20 Tennessee snaps 3-game losing streak while holding high-octane No. 11 Louisville to 62 points
Louisville entered Knoxville averaging 94.3 points per game this season, the seventh most of any team in the country. The No. 11 Cardinals had gone over the century mark four times. They had just sniffed it with 99 points against Memphis three days earlier, and they put up 87 a week before that in a victory over then-No. 22 Indiana.But without primary ball-handler and NBA prospect Mikel Brown Jr., who was sidelined with a lower-back injury, Louisville didn't establish the offensive rhythm Tuesday night at Tennessee that's made Pat Kelseys' Cardinals tick.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTheir wings were clipped by a suffocating defense that helped the No. 20 Volunteers end their three-game skid with an 83-62 triumph. Rick Barnes hadn't dropped four games in a row since his first season leading Tennessee in 2015-16. He had his guys firing on all cylinders and guarding […]
The Three Biggest Disappointments of the 2025 NFL Season
Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images We’ve made it to the final three weeks of the NFL season. At this point, we have a pretty decent idea of how teams are. Teams like the Broncos and Patriots have to be excited with how their seasons have gone, while the Chiefs and Lions must be disappointed in their likely playoff misses. Those teams aren’t close to being the biggest disappointments in 2025. The Lions are still an excellent playoff team, who could sneak into the playoffs, and the Chiefs have been a dynasty for nearly the last decade, so they can’t be too crushed by one bad season. Here are the three teams most […]
Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl becomes first German to reach 1,000 points
Dec 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman (18) congratulates center Leon Draisaitl (29) on his 1000th career NHL point which was an assist against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl on Tuesday became the first German-born player to reach 1,000 points in his NHL career. Draisaitl recorded a secondary assist on Zach Hyman's goal during a 5-on-3 power play at 11:38 of the first period in Edmonton's game against the host Pittsburgh Penguins. The Oilers' players on the bench jumped on the ice to celebrate with Draisaitl. Draisaitl wasn't done, however. as he set up superstar captain Connor McDavid's power-play goal just 14 seconds later to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead. Draisaitl, 30, has totaled 1,001 points (416 goals, 585 […]
Boxing star Terence Crawford (42-0, 18 titles) announces retirement
Sep 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canelo Alvarez (black/gold trunks) and Terence Crawford (black/red trunks) box during their super middleweight title bout at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Undefeated boxing star Terence Crawford announced his retirement from the sport Tuesday. "Walking away as a great with nothing else left to prove," he said in a post on X. Crawford reached the top of the sport before leaving the ring. He won the biggest fight of his career in September when he defeated Mexican great Canelo Alvarez to become the undisputed super middleweight world champion. That victory made Crawford the first boxer in modern history to be an undisputed champion in three divisions (light welterweight, welterweight, super middleweight). Crawford, 38, retires 42-0 all time with an impressive 31 wins via knockout. He won 18 major world championships across […]
Scorecard: Australia vs England, third Ashes Test, Adelaide
Total for -, from overs. Batting Runs Balls 4s 6s SR Yet to bat Fall of Wickets Bowling Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Econ
Related
Adam Silver says NBA will make decision on expansion in 2026, cites Seattle and Las Vegas as possibilities
The NBA has been flirting with expansion for years now, but Adam Silver says a decision is coming in 2026.The NBA commissioner told reporters Tuesday before the NBA Cup championship game the league will make a "determination" about domestic expansion next year. He specifically named Seattle and Las Vegas as possibilities for new teams, citing Seattle's past with the SuperSonics and the many NBA-connected activities already held in Vegas.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis comments:"I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two incredible cities. Obviously, we had a team in Seattle that had great success. We have a WNBA team in Las Vegas in the Aces. We've been playing the Summer League here for 20 years. Playing our Cup games here, so we're very familiar with this market. I don't have any doubt that Las Vegas is, despite all the major league teams here and […]
No. 20 Tennessee snaps 3-game losing streak while holding high-octane No. 11 Louisville to 62 points
Louisville entered Knoxville averaging 94.3 points per game this season, the seventh most of any team in the country. The No. 11 Cardinals had gone over the century mark four times. They had just sniffed it with 99 points against Memphis three days earlier, and they put up 87 a week before that in a victory over then-No. 22 Indiana.But without primary ball-handler and NBA prospect Mikel Brown Jr., who was sidelined with a lower-back injury, Louisville didn't establish the offensive rhythm Tuesday night at Tennessee that's made Pat Kelseys' Cardinals tick.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTheir wings were clipped by a suffocating defense that helped the No. 20 Volunteers end their three-game skid with an 83-62 triumph. Rick Barnes hadn't dropped four games in a row since his first season leading Tennessee in 2015-16. He had his guys firing on all cylinders and guarding […]
The Three Biggest Disappointments of the 2025 NFL Season
Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images We’ve made it to the final three weeks of the NFL season. At this point, we have a pretty decent idea of how teams are. Teams like the Broncos and Patriots have to be excited with how their seasons have gone, while the Chiefs and Lions must be disappointed in their likely playoff misses. Those teams aren’t close to being the biggest disappointments in 2025. The Lions are still an excellent playoff team, who could sneak into the playoffs, and the Chiefs have been a dynasty for nearly the last decade, so they can’t be too crushed by one bad season. Here are the three teams most […]
Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl becomes first German to reach 1,000 points
Dec 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman (18) congratulates center Leon Draisaitl (29) on his 1000th career NHL point which was an assist against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl on Tuesday became the first German-born player to reach 1,000 points in his NHL career. Draisaitl recorded a secondary assist on Zach Hyman's goal during a 5-on-3 power play at 11:38 of the first period in Edmonton's game against the host Pittsburgh Penguins. The Oilers' players on the bench jumped on the ice to celebrate with Draisaitl. Draisaitl wasn't done, however. as he set up superstar captain Connor McDavid's power-play goal just 14 seconds later to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead. Draisaitl, 30, has totaled 1,001 points (416 goals, 585 […]
Boxing star Terence Crawford (42-0, 18 titles) announces retirement
Sep 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canelo Alvarez (black/gold trunks) and Terence Crawford (black/red trunks) box during their super middleweight title bout at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Undefeated boxing star Terence Crawford announced his retirement from the sport Tuesday. "Walking away as a great with nothing else left to prove," he said in a post on X. Crawford reached the top of the sport before leaving the ring. He won the biggest fight of his career in September when he defeated Mexican great Canelo Alvarez to become the undisputed super middleweight world champion. That victory made Crawford the first boxer in modern history to be an undisputed champion in three divisions (light welterweight, welterweight, super middleweight). Crawford, 38, retires 42-0 all time with an impressive 31 wins via knockout. He won 18 major world championships across […]
Scorecard: Australia vs England, third Ashes Test, Adelaide
Total for -, from overs. Batting Runs Balls 4s 6s SR Yet to bat Fall of Wickets Bowling Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Econ
Be the first to leave a comment