UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond on Monday, ripping the band-aid off a situation Chancellor Julio Frenk called a “new path forward for UCLA Athletics.” Talk about a sudden move. They didn’t waste any time, immediately replacing him with Tim Harris, who spent a massive 35-plus years as the president of business operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. Frenk delivered the news in a letter to the university community, and you know this isn’t just a casual swap, especially when it comes out that Harris is taking the job as CEO and athletic director on a pro bono basis. Yeah, you read that right: working for free.
The Money Pit and the Championship Shine
Jarmond, 46, had the AD job for six years, stepping in back in 2020 to replace Dan Guerrero, and he’s out immediately. This is wild, considering he just inked a five-year contract extension in May 2024. And it’s not like the Bruins were completely flailing on the field or court. Last season, the athletic department actually snagged three NCAA championships, including a historic first for the women’s basketball team. You’d think that kind of success would buy some goodwill, right? Nope. The cold, hard numbers tell a brutal story. Under Jarmond’s watch, the athletic department ran yearly deficits for seven consecutive years. Seven years! That piled up to a staggering $241 million in shortfalls. While joining the Big Ten Conference two years ago brought in millions from media rights fees, it also blew up their travel expenses. Even with the deficit shrinking to $21.6 million for the 2025 fiscal year, the university has been repeatedly bailing out the athletic department just to keep it afloat. Frenk didn’t mince words, writing, “UCLA Athletics currently carries a significant financial debt, and its current path is not sustainable.” Sounds like a crisis meeting that finally reached its breaking point.
A New Vision, A Lakers Legend, and Zero Salary
Enter Tim Harris, the 64-year-old UCLA alum from the class of ’89, who even played goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team while he was in Westwood. This guy’s got deep roots, but his professional career is where it gets really interesting. Harris spent over 35 years building up the Lakers’ business side, only leaving the NBA franchise in February after the Buss family sold it to Dodgers owner Mark Walter. Oh, and get this: Harris was part of Jeanie Buss’s inner circle and actually received a huge financial bonus after that sale. The Lakers were just sold again, too. Now he’s back at his alma mater, but on a totally different salary structure. Frenk is banking on Harris’s business chops, saying, “Now is the moment to build a model for Athletics that protects the breadth of our program, creates new opportunities for student-athletes and coaches, and supports itself through the revenue it generates.” Frenk pointed out how college sports has transformed with NIL deals allowing athletes to earn money, emphasizing that UCLA needs “an athletics model that leads , not just keeps pace.” It’s a huge shift, and bringing in a seasoned pro like Harris, especially on a pro bono basis, shows just how serious they are about fixing this financial mess.
Jarmond’s last big coaching hire, Bob Chesney, only arrived in early December from James Madison to try and breathe life into UCLA’s struggling football program. Now, Chesney will make his debut under a brand-new AD. The Bruins kick off their season on Saturday, on the road at California. It’s not just a game, it’s the start of a whole new era for UCLA Athletics, with a massive financial cloud hanging overhead and a new leader trying to steer the ship for free.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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