New NCAA President Set to Embrace Football Bowl Subdivision Athletic Directors at LEAD1 Association Conference

LEAD1 Association (LEAD1), which represents the athletics directors of the 131-member institutions of the Football Bowl Subdivision (“FBS”), has announced that new NCAA President Charlie Baker will attend its closed-door LEAD1 member athletics director-only meeting, as well as subsequently kick off LEAD1’s Forum open to all attendees as the keynote speaker.

LEAD1’s Official Spring Member Meeting and Forum Presented by Opendorse will be held at the Marriott Dallas Uptown in Dallas, TX from April 23 to April 25. LEAD1 will host an evening welcome reception on April 23, and a closed-door LEAD1 athletics director-only meeting on April 24 followed by hot-button panel sessions covering topical issues in college sports, which will conclude on April 25.

More than half of LEAD1’s athletics directors are expected to attend.

“With new leadership at the NCAA, our Spring Meeting and Forum will be a tremendous opportunity for our administrators to discuss and learn more about the road ahead directly with Governor Baker,” said LEAD1 President and CEO, Tom McMillen. “I met with Governor Baker on his first day and we could not be more excited to collaborate on the most pressing issues facing college sports.”

“There are numerous challenges facing the collegiate athletics enterprise right now,” said LEAD1 Board Chair and Director of Athletics at the University of Pittsburgh, Heather Lyke. “We look forward to an important dialogue with the new NCAA President Baker and discussions about solutions to the current state which is unsustainable.”

For more information on the Meeting and Forum, including for partnership information and registration, please contact Gianna Salzbrunn (gianna@lead1a.com) and/or visit our website https://lead1association.com/lead1-association-official-2023-spring-meeting/.