Stanford University is prepared to appoint John Donahoe, the former CEO of Nike, as its new athletic director. This decision, confirmed by sources, reflects the school’s desire for innovative leadership within its athletic department.
At 65 years old, Donahoe enters the collegiate sports management arena with extensive business acumen. He has held executive roles at prestigious companies, including Bain & Company and eBay, and has served as the board chair at PayPal. Stanford views him as a “unicorn candidate,” especially for his blend of business expertise and personal connections to the university, having earned an MBA from Stanford in 1986. Moreover, he has twice served on the advisory board of the Stanford business school.
Donahoe succeeds Bernard Muir, who stepped down in February after more than a decade in the position. Alden Mitchell has been filling in as the interim athletic director since Muir’s departure. The selection of Donahoe is notable considering the current challenges the Stanford athletic department faces, particularly with its football team, which has recorded four consecutive 3-9 seasons, and the men’s basketball program, which has not qualified for the NCAA tournament since 2014.
The hiring of Donahoe aims to revitalize Stanford athletics, especially as they look to support general manager Andrew Luck and forge a sustainable future for both the football program and its renowned Olympic sports, which recently excelled with 39 medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This success positions Stanford athletes with a medal count that would place them 11th among nations if the university were a country itself. Additionally, Stanford has a storied history of athletic achievement, winning 26 out of 31 available director’s cups for overall success.
Stanford officials, including President Jonathan Levin and former women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer, actively recruited Donahoe, emphasizing his longstanding connections to the university. In a change of management structure, Luck will now report directly to Donahoe, a shift aimed at fostering collaboration and enhancing the athletic program’s prospects in the challenging landscape of college sports.
As the football season approaches, Stanford faces the task of turning around expectations, being currently projected last in the 17-team Atlantic Coast Conference. Former NFL coach Frank Reich is serving as the interim coach with the understanding that this arrangement will not extend beyond the 2025 season.
With Donahoe at the helm, there is hope that his leadership and strategic vision will lead Stanford athletics to a new era of success, leveraging both his business skills and deep-seated commitment to the university’s legacy.