Tim Harris Aims to Revitalize UCLA Athletics with Entertainment Model

Tim Harris, the newly appointed CEO and athletics director for UCLA, has outlined a vision to transform the university's athletics department into a professional entertainment entity. Harris, an alumnus of UCLA and former business executive for the Los Angeles Lakers, expressed his commitment to revitalizing the department, which has faced significant financial challenges, including seven consecutive fiscal years operating in the red and accumulating over $241 million in debt.

Harris was brought to UCLA by Chancellor Julio Frenk, who sought his expertise in sports business. Initially agreeing to teach a sports marketing class, Harris found himself in discussions with Frenk about the future of UCLA athletics. These conversations led to an offer for Harris to take over the athletics department on a pro-bono basis, an offer he accepted due to his deep connection with the university.

"The landscape of college athletics is evolving at a breakneck pace, and our athletics department needs a leader who can navigate that change with both vision and discipline," Frenk stated. "Tim has UCLA in his heart, and he brings a clear commitment to our student-athletes, as well as a deep understanding of our university and how to create a program that sustains itself for generations to come."

Harris views the athletics department as an entertainment company whose product is college sports. He believes that emulating the success of professional sports franchises, like the Lakers, requires a professional approach to revenue generation. A key strategy involves strengthening relationships with current fans and cultivating new ones, with a robust season ticket base serving as the foundation for financial sustainability.

"It’s why the Lakers were so successful because we started out sold out of season tickets, you know, every year, right?" Harris said. "It is a huge relief when you have that going in because tickets are the portal to everything because a ticket is the ultimate expression of interest. If you can sell tickets, you can sell sponsorships. If you’re selling tickets, you’re gonna get social media engagement. If you’re selling tickets, donors are paying attention. It’s the ultimate expression."

This approach, Harris explained, will enable UCLA to provide the resources necessary for its athletes and teams to compete at the highest level, particularly as the university transitions to the Big Ten conference. He hopes that potential legislative or governance changes, such as a salary cap for NIL and revenue sharing, will provide more clarity on financial requirements.

"I think, hope and believe that it’s going to settle into something that is not moving, right, in some form or another through legislation or governance is going to get into something that we can understand so we can go to the coaches and say, ‘This is what’s in the pantry.’ And then we can go to our different buckets [of people] and say, ‘This is how much we need to raise to put into the pantry,’" Harris said.

Harris, who received a significant financial settlement from the Lakers' sale, stated his financial independence allows him to be hyper-focused on the department's objectives without personal gain influencing his decisions. He sees the revitalization of UCLA athletics as a significant opportunity.

"We have a chance here to wake up the giant that everyone has been talking about, and I think that is the thing that excites me. The thing gets me going every single morning is, how soon can we get there?" Harris said.