Sooner Success School: University of Oklahoma’s Price College Launches Elite Program to Train the Next Generation of Athletic Directors
The University of Oklahoma has long been a pioneer in collegiate academics and athletics, and now, it is bridging those two worlds in a revolutionary way. The Price College of Business has officially launched an innovative new program specifically designed to groom the next generation of athletic directors. Titled informally by students and faculty alike as the “Sooner Success School,” this program aims to provide prospective athletic directors with the specialized instruction, strategic business insight, and hands-on experience necessary to lead athletic departments at the highest levels of collegiate and professional sports.
This initiative comes at a critical time in the evolution of college athletics, as the roles and responsibilities of athletic directors continue to expand and transform. No longer is an athletic director just a game-day figurehead. Instead, they are now multifaceted executives—part CEO, part public relations expert, part compliance officer, and part visionary leader. Understanding the complex dynamics of name, image, and likeness (NIL), the ever-changing transfer portal, conference realignments, Title IX mandates, facility fundraising, and media rights negotiations are just some of the critical components that today’s AD must navigate. That’s where the Price College of Business steps in, offering an educational roadmap to prepare future leaders for one of the most demanding executive roles in higher education.
The program was born from a collaboration between Price College’s Sports Business Department and the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department. Under the leadership of Dean Corey Phelps, the college recognized a gap in the current education and training available to those aspiring to work in sports administration. While many programs offer general sports management degrees, few—if any—go deep into the nuances of athletic directorship from a business and operational standpoint. The Sooner Success School aims to change that. With courses developed in coordination with sitting athletic directors, industry veterans, and university administrators, the curriculum is custom-tailored to mirror the actual challenges athletic departments face across the country.
From day one, students in the program are immersed in real-world scenarios. Case studies focus on actual university crises, major coaching transitions, booster management dilemmas, compliance failures, and revenue generation strategies. Guest speakers include current and former athletic directors from Power Five conferences, NCAA compliance officers, legal experts on NIL issues, and executives from major networks and sports marketing agencies. Students also engage in simulation-based projects that require them to make tough calls on coaching hires, donor strategies, facilities upgrades, and budget reallocation in response to Title IX audits or playoff expansion logistics.
One of the standout features of the program is its experiential learning component. Each student is matched with a mentor—usually a sitting athletic director or senior-level administrator from a Division I institution. These mentorships are not just for networking; they form a crucial part of the learning process. Students shadow their mentors, attend high-level administrative meetings, and often participate in strategic planning sessions. Some even help draft actual business plans or crisis response documents, giving them an unmatched advantage over peers from more traditional academic programs.
Another vital aspect of the program is its built-in NIL and compliance training module. With name, image, and likeness rights revolutionizing the landscape of college sports, understanding its intricacies is no longer optional—it’s mandatory. The Sooner Success School offers a series of specialized workshops, taught by legal scholars and sports marketing professionals, that dissect the legal framework of NIL, its ethical considerations, and its financial implications for student-athletes and athletic departments alike. Students learn how to build comprehensive NIL support systems within athletic departments, negotiate third-party deals, and create balanced policies that align with NCAA regulations.
The university’s location in Norman, Oklahoma, also gives the program a unique edge. The Oklahoma Sooners athletic brand is one of the most recognized and successful in the country, providing a fertile learning ground for students. From football Saturdays that draw national media attention to Olympic sports that consistently produce NCAA champions and Olympians, Price College students get an up-close look at what it takes to sustain excellence across an entire athletic department. The program also allows students to attend closed-door meetings with OU administrators and coaches, offering an insider’s perspective on how top-level decisions are made and executed.
Beyond classroom and mentorship experience, students are required to complete a capstone project before graduation. These capstone projects are rigorous, strategic initiatives that often involve proposing a five-year athletic department growth plan, restructuring athletic facilities, or conducting a financial audit of an existing department. Some students have even partnered with lower-division colleges or high school athletic departments to implement their proposed changes, giving them not just theoretical knowledge but measurable, real-world impact.
The selection process for the Sooner Success School is extremely competitive. Applicants must have a strong academic background, demonstrated leadership experience in athletics or sports management, and a clear vision for their future in sports administration. Many already hold graduate degrees or have worked in athletic departments in support or operations roles. The inaugural cohort includes a diverse group of former college athletes, assistant coaches, military veterans, and business professionals—all united by a desire to lead and elevate the next generation of athletics programs.
Dean Corey Phelps emphasized the program’s importance during its launch, stating, “College sports are not just about competition on the field—they’re about leadership, ethics, strategy, and vision. With the Sooner Success School, we’re preparing our students to lead with integrity and innovation. We’re not just teaching them how to manage a sports program—we’re training them to reshape the future of college athletics.”
OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione, one of the most respected figures in college sports, has played a hands-on role in shaping the program. His philosophy on servant leadership and long-term vision has been embedded into the program’s ethos. Castiglione noted, “Athletic directors are the stewards of student-athlete experience. They impact lives, communities, and institutional reputations. I’m proud that OU is taking the lead in preparing the next wave of visionary leaders in this field.”
Alumni support has also been strong. Many former Sooner athletes, now working in sports, business, and media, have expressed their enthusiasm for the program. They’ve signed on as guest lecturers, internship providers, and donors to ensure its long-term success. One such supporter, former OU football star and current ESPN analyst Dusty Dvoracek, praised the initiative: “We’ve always produced champions on the field, now we’re producing champions behind the scenes. This program is a game-changer.”
With college athletics now operating as big business—generating billions in revenue through television rights, merchandise, ticket sales, and sponsorships—having qualified, visionary leadership at the helm has never been more important. Athletic directors must wear many hats: diplomat, strategist, crisis manager, educator, fundraiser, and brand builder. The Sooner Success School is giving aspiring professionals the tools to wear those hats with confidence and competence.
As the program continues to grow, there are plans to expand its reach. Price College has begun exploring partnerships with other universities, both within and outside the Big 12 and SEC, to provide cross-institutional collaboration and study abroad opportunities tied to international sporting events. Talks are also underway to create an executive education track for mid-career professionals already working in athletic departments but seeking a formal credential and updated training.
In just its inaugural year, the Sooner Success School has already positioned itself as a national leader in sports administration education. With its combination of academic rigor, experiential learning, mentorship, and real-world application, the University of Oklahoma is once again leading from the front. For aspiring athletic directors who want to make a meaningful impact—not just manage but transform—this program is the proving ground. It is where passion for sports meets precision in leadership, where game plans are drawn not just on chalkboards but in boardrooms, and where the next generation of sports leaders is being molded—one play, one policy, and one principle at a time.
