UNC announces AD transition plan from Bubba Cunningham to RFK Racing president Steve Newmark in 2026

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham will transition next summer into a new advisory role to the school's chancellor, while hiring RFK Racing team president Steve Newmark as his eventual successor.

UNC announced the moves Tuesday, which marked the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement.

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The transition includes a two-year contract extension through July 2029 for the 63-year-old Cunningham, who has served as athletic director since late 2011. He will move to advising chancellor Lee Roberts and eventually Newmark on projects tied to athletics next summer, according to the school's release.

In the meantime, Newmark — who has been president of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing for 15 years — will spend the 2025-26 season working as an executive associate AD and reporting to Cunningham. The school said Newmark's initial focus will be on “revenue-driving initiatives,” particularly tied to the school's men's basketball and football programs, before eventually taking over as AD after the sports season.

Cunningham's tenure included elevating Hubert Davis to take over as men's basketball coach when Hall of Famer Roy Williams retired in April 2021, as well as the hiring of NFL coaching great Bill Belichick to take over UNC's football program in December.

It also included navigating the school through a multi-year NCAA infractions case tied to academic courses popular with athletes. That case reached a no-penalty conclusion in October 2017.

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