“Sports Is An Emergency Business”: Former Utah AD Explains Why Change Can’t Wait
Dec 9, 2025, 1:05 PM | Updated: Dec 10, 2025, 9:25 am
SALT LAKE CITY – Former University of Utah Director of Athletics, Dr. Chris Hill, is in a wait-and-see mode following the school’s announcement of a first-of-its-kind private equity investment.
Hill joined DJ & PK on KSL Sports Zone after Yahoo’s Ross Dellinger reported on December 9 that the athletics department has reached an agreement for an expected $500 million or more in capital.
The Utah Athletics Department will be reorganized into a newly created for-profit holding company, Utah Brands & Entertainment LLC, co-owned by Otro Capital.
RELATED: University of Utah Announces Landmark Private Equity Deal
View this post on Instagram
At the center of the project is the creation of a private, independent offshoot of the athletic department — Utah Brands & Entertainment LLC — in a first-of-its-kind partnership between a university athletic department and an equity partner. An executive team from Otro Capital, combined with athletics department personnel, will lead the creation and operation of the new company, which will live within the university’s foundation – Ross Dellinger
The University of Utah Board of Trustees approved the deal on Tuesday, December 9.
“First of all, want to thank our University’s Board of Trustees for the intense scrutiny that they have given to this new and innovative way to fund University of Utah athletics,” President Taylor Randall shared of the venture.
He continued, “We are excited about this new innovation in University of Utah athletics. This will give our institution, particularly our athletic institution, the upside it needs to thrive in the new revenue sharing and NIL era.”
Chris Hill is not jumping to conclusions over unprecedented agreement
College athletics has become, even more than in decades past, a fraternity of haves and have-nots when it comes to player and program development.
“Money’s money, and you need the money,” Hill said. “It’s just a matter if it’s good money or not.”
“We’re going to use this to find excellence in Utah Athletics,” President Randall shared.
This process has been underway for over a calendar year. Utah was focused on finding the best cultural fit and landed on Otro Capital. Multiple firms were vetted.
— Steve Bartle (@BartleKSLsports) December 9, 2025
In his story, Dellinger notes that other schools (Kentucky, Michigan State, Clemson) have created private, revenue-generating entities that operate outside of the athletics department.
What makes Utah unique is its partnership with a New York-based private equity firm. Otro Capital uses a for-profit business model, a first in college athletics.
NCAA president Charlie Baker on the recent Utah athletics-private equity LLC deal: “I thought what they did was really well thought out.”
Noted NCAA had discussions over it before it was done.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) December 9, 2025
Hill questions how much enforcement the firm will have in making program-specific changes.
“I wouldn’t want people that are in an equity firm to trim down my program,” Hill said, choosing his words carefully. “How much enforcement do they have?”
Ultimately, Hill believes it is necessary to think outside the box and be willing to try new, innovative ideas.
“At the end of the day, we are who we are,” Hill concluded. “Utah looked at that and said, ‘We got people putting in money for NIL and all this stuff. We got to find some.’ Sports is an emergency business. You can’t wait around five years to figure it out.”
Follow Utah football with KSL Sports
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
You can find KSL Sports coverage of the Utes here.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect; follow us at @kslsports.
Take us with you wherever you go.
Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
