Rob Higgins Embraces NIL, Realignment as USF’s First CEO of Athletics

The University of South Florida introduced Rob Higgins as CEO of Athletics on Monday, making USF the first university in the nation to create such a position.

Higgins, the former executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, spent 21 years bringing major events such as the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff National Championship and NHL Stadium Series to Tampa Bay.

Higgins has deep ties to USF. He, his parents and his sister all graduated from the university. The last three years have been challenging for him personally: His mother died three years ago, and within the last year both he and his father were diagnosed with cancer. Both are now in remission.

Still, Higgins said his focus is on the work ahead. “This isn’t a fairytale ending for our family, it’s a fairytale beginning,” he said. His connection to the university makes it more than just a job.

“I really believe if you cut his arm he would bleed green and gold,” said Jay Stroman, senior vice president for advancement and alumni affairs.

Higgins’ history with the Bulls goes back to 1990, when he was a 12-year-old ball boy for the men’s basketball team. That year, USF won the Sun Belt Conference tournament to clinch its first NCAA Tournament berth. After the season, assistant coach Tommy Tonelli sent Higgins a thank-you letter for his contributions.

“Getting that letter at my age is when it all clicked,” Higgins said. “It takes every single member of an organization to not only be elite, but to take it to new heights.”

At Monday’s press conference, Higgins returned the letter to Tonelli, who was sitting in the front row, closing the loop on a 35-year-old story.

USF’s shift from an athletic director to a CEO of Athletics reflects the school’s push to embrace the changing landscape of college sports.

“While everyone else laments the good old days, we truly believe these are the golden days of college athletics,” Higgins said.

The two major forces shaping the industry’s changes: conference realignment and name, image and likeness. Higgins said he is eager to ease the burden NIL responsibilities place on coaches.

“We’ve gotten to a point where it has become a monstrous business opportunity, and that’s what made me say now’s the time,” he said.

USF’s investment in athletics is paying off in recruiting. The Bulls’ 2025 football and basketball classes both rank in the top 75 nationally and top two in the American Athletic Conference, according to On3. The baseball recruiting class ranks No. 25 nationally, according to Perfect Game.

The dividends should only improve with Higgins at the helm. South Florida President Rhea Law described Higgins as a “tireless fundraiser, accomplished marketer and proven revenue generator.”

Higgins could have easily been coy about potential conference realignment. Instead, he addressed the elephant in the room.

“Mark my words, we will be a transparent partner to Tim (American Athletic Conference Commissioner),” Higgins said. “However, as you look at realignment and take a hard look in the mirror, at this very moment we probably have two or three boxes checked of the boxes needed. We have the academics, we have the television market, our resources are improving and now our performance is starting to trend in the right direction.”

U.S. News & World Report ranks USF No. 43 among public universities. Tampa Bay is the nation’s 11th-largest television market and the largest in Florida. The school is building an on-campus football stadium, set to open in 2027, and opened a $22 million indoor performance facility in 2022.

Higgins said any potential conference move must be rooted in proven success. “Every single successful conference move made in an upward trajectory has been based on performance and not potential. The few moves that have been made based on potential are really easy to find — just look at the bottom of nearly every conference’s standings.”

The remark may have been a dig at rival UCF, which is 5-13 against Big 12 opponents since joining the league and finished with the second-worst record in 2024.

The CEO role was created after former athletic director Michael Kelly left for Navy in June. Stroman served as interim athletic director. Kelly left his mark, hiring football coach Alex Golesh, men’s basketball coach Bryan Hodgson and baseball coach Mitch Hannahs. If USF’s upward trajectory continues, his legacy will remain tied to the program.

Higgins, however, made clear his focus is on raising the bar. “There is no more patience for the word potential,” he said.

Generations of USF fans have longed to see the school’s athletics reach new heights. Now, Higgins said, they can take comfort knowing the person in charge is willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.