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USF hires Rob Higgins as new Athletics CEO
FOX 13's Lloyd Sowers breaks down the move to hire Rob Higgins as the new USF Athletics CEO.
TAMPA - The longtime point man for bringing many major sporting events to Tampa is taking his talents to the University of South Florida as the school’s new "CEO of Athletics."
Rob Higgins is leaving the Tampa Bay Sports Commission after serving as the executive director since 2004.
He was monumental in bringing two Super Bowls, a College Football Playoff National Championship, the NCAA Women’s Final Four, the NCAA Frozen Four and many other high-profile events to Tampa Bay.
After a "comprehensive national search" by USF, Higgins will step into the position as a huge football stadium project to seat more than 35,000 people is underway on the campus in North Tampa.
The move also comes after a huge win by the Bulls over the Florida Gators on Saturday.
What they're saying:
"I cannot think of a bigger week for USF athletics since they beat Auburn and West Virginia in 2007, the excitement is at an all time high. The stadium is coming," said Collin Sherwin, the founder of the Bay Area Examiner.
With college athletics operating more like big business, Higgins will take the title "CEO of Athletics" rather than "Athletic Director."
The backstory:
Higgins grew up a USF fan and when he was 8 years old he became a ball kid for the basketball team.
In 2015, he was inducted into the Zimmerman School of Advertising Hall of Fame and received the Distinguished Citizen Award at USF Commencement.
Higgins provided a statement about the journey that he has been on up until this point:
"I never imagined that an opportunity to volunteer as a young boy at USF basketball games would take me down a path to a career of over 20 years serving at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and now the opportunity to return to my alma mater as the first CEO of Athletics. Cliches are often rooted in some truth, but this truly is a dream come true. I could not be more honored to take on this responsibility and could not be more excited to get started," Higgins said. "Go Bulls!"
RELATED: Women's Final Four Championship leaves memories, lasting impact on Tampa Bay
What's next:
A salary amount has not yet been announced, but we do know Higgins' predecessor, Mike Kelly, signed a five-year deal worth over $5 million.
Higgins is set to address the public during a press conference on Sept. 22.
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The Source: Information for this story was provided by the University of South Florida and previous FOX 13 reports.