Director of athletics Kevin Saal joins the podcast to discuss the changing landscape and where Wichita State fits as the pending House v. NCAA settlement nears. We discuss the three areas of the settlement and how they likely add a $7 million need to WSU’s annual athletic budget of around $27 million. How does not sponsoring football help Wichita State compared to peers? How is the athletic department working on revenue? How is Wichita State’s work on student-athlete satisfaction helping retention efforts. We also update fans on University Stadium and Wilkins Stadium construction projects.
Director of athletics Kevin Saal joins the podcast to discuss name, image and likeness and how Wichita State is navigating these changes in college athletics. We talk about the basics of NIL and dive into specifics about fund-raising targets by sport, what the competition is doing and how Wichita State is improving mental health, academic and competitive conditions for its athletes. We also discuss the Wheat Shock Collective and its new partnership with Blueprint Sports.
Episode description: In this episode of Wichita State University’s “Forward Together” podcast, President Rick Muma talks with Kevin Saal, who was hired as director of athletics at Wichita State University in June. Kevin is leading Shocker athletics during a time of significant change – name, image and likeness, the transfer portal and conference realignment top the list.
The “Forward Together” podcast celebrates the vision and mission of Wichita State University. In each episode, President Rick Muma will talk with guests from throughout Shocker Nation to highlight the people and priorities that guide WSU on its road to becoming an essential educational, cultural, and economic driver for Kansas and the greater good.
Kevin Saal joins the podcast to talk about one of the biggest topics in college athletics – name, image and likeness. He discusses the specifics on how the policy works and how Wichita State is navigating the new environment. He describes how fans can get involved with Shockers of all sports through Armchair Strategies Collective, Opendorse Marketplace and direct connections. We talk about Shockers such as softball’s Sydney McKinney as an example of how NIL can work and the business and branding lessons student-athletes can learn.
