SPMT 489 with Trev Alberts: Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek joins Alberts

In another lecture with SPMT 489, Texas A&M Director of Athletics Trev Alberts and Dr. Gregg Bennett were joined by Arkansas' Hunter Yurachek to discuss the common experiences of SEC athletic departments, the issues facing the current landscape of college athletics and more.

Topics from Hunter Yurachek interview

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 01:40 - Yurachek’s background in sports as a child
• 03:12 - The importance of the University of Arkansas’ athletics to the state of Arkansas
• 05:28 - His path to Arkansas and its impact on his leadership style
• 09:00 - Describing his leadership style and its evolution throughout his career
• 11:40 - Causes for success during the tenure in Fayetteville
• 14:45 - Balancing the student-athlete experience with challenges posed by external factors from donors, scarcity, etc.
• 17:30 - The importance of hiring the right coaches and his approach to such hirings
• 19:20 - His strategic approach to investing for success in women’s athletics
• 21:35 - Managing the uncertainty of the fallout due to the House vs. NCAA settlement
• 23:50 - On different “competitive advantages” in college athletics leading to inequity
• 26:20 - Impact of NIL and the transfer portal on the programs at Arkansas
• 28:35 - Deeper thoughts on NIL
• 30:20 - The importance of winning and its relation to “power”
• 33:25 - Conference realignment, the CFP and its impact on the fan’s perception of success
• 35:00 - Top-to-bottom competitiveness in all sports in the SEC
• 37:20 - On Kevin Trainor, Arkansas athletic’s chief public relations officer
• 38:50 - Moving the Texas A&M-Arkansas football series away from AT&T Stadium and back to campus
• 41:15 - Yurachek’s thoughts on Texas A&M as an athletic department and university
• 43:50 - Predictions ahead of the Texas A&M-Arkansas game
• 45:35 - NIL’s “negative” impact on “life lessons” that should be learned by student-athletes
• 49:00 - On hiring John Calipari

About SPMT 489

The Special Topics course “The Power of Sports” will explore the multifaceted impact of sports on society, culture, and business. Through a combination of guest speakers, class discussions and professional development events, students will gain insights into the various aspects of the sports industry.