University of North Carolina Charts New Course in Athletics Leadership: Steve Newmark Named Successor to Longtime AD Bubba Cunningham
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has announced a significant leadership transition within its athletics department, signaling the beginning of a new era in Tar Heel sports. On July 1, 2025, UNC named Chapel Hill native and sports business executive Steve Newmark as its next Director of Athletics. Newmark, currently the President of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, will serve as Executive Associate Athletic Director beginning August 15, 2025. He is slated to officially assume the role of Athletic Director in the summer of 2026, following the transition of longtime AD Bubba Cunningham into a newly created advisory role.
Bubba Cunningham, who has served as UNC’s Athletic Director since 2011, has led the Tar Heels through a period of remarkable athletic and institutional growth. Under his leadership, Carolina Athletics captured 24 national championships and regularly finished among the top programs in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings. Cunningham also guided the department through a challenging NCAA academic investigation and helped solidify UNC’s place as a national leader in collegiate sports administration.
Cunningham will remain in his current role through the 2025–26 academic year and has signed a contract extension through July 2029. Beginning in the summer of 2026, he will transition into the role of Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and Athletic Director. In this capacity, he will help oversee strategic initiatives across the athletics department and the university at large, including new facilities, multimedia rights, and long-term revenue planning.
Steve Newmark brings a unique blend of legal expertise, business leadership, and sports industry experience. A graduate of Chapel Hill High School, Newmark earned a law degree from the University of Virginia and previously practiced law representing major college athletics organizations, including the NCAA and SEC. For the past 15 years, he has served as the president of RFK Racing, overseeing all aspects of team operations, sponsorship, and brand development.
Newmark’s appointment reflects UNC’s strategic response to the changing landscape of college athletics. With Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, revenue sharing, and enhanced media rights deals reshaping the industry, UNC leaders believe Newmark’s business acumen will position the university for sustained success in a commercialized environment. His responsibilities during his first year at UNC will focus on revenue-generating sports, particularly football and men’s and women’s basketball.
Chancellor Lee Roberts praised the transition plan, stating that it offers both continuity and innovation. “Bubba has built a championship-caliber culture, and Steve’s background makes him uniquely suited to build upon that foundation in a rapidly evolving industry,” Roberts said.
Newmark expressed gratitude and enthusiasm for his new role. “It’s an honor to return home to Chapel Hill and be entrusted with the future of Carolina Athletics,” he said. “I look forward to learning from Bubba and working with our coaches, student-athletes, and fans to elevate UNC to new heights.”
As UNC looks to the future, the collaborative transition between Cunningham and Newmark represents a carefully planned and forward-thinking approach—ensuring that Carolina Athletics remains competitive, sustainable, and rooted in excellence.
