Bo Corrigan

Bo Corrigan is an American sports administrator best known for his leadership role within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He has served as the director of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament since 2022, overseeing one of the most prominent events in American sports. Corrigan's career has been defined by executive positions within major collegiate athletic conferences, including the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big 12 Conference, where he focused on strategic planning, media rights, and championship operations. His work has significantly influenced the administration and commercial profile of NCAA Division I athletics.

Early life and education

Born in Dallas, Texas, he is the son of former University of Notre Dame athletic director and College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Gene Corrigan. Growing up in a family deeply embedded in collegiate athletics, he was exposed to the operations of major programs from an early age. He attended Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas before enrolling at the University of Notre Dame. At Notre Dame, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government and was a member of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team as a walk-on player under coach Lou Holtz.

Career

His professional career began in athletic development at his alma mater, working within the Notre Dame Fighting Irish athletic department. He subsequently held roles in corporate partnerships with the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys and later with Host Communications, a prominent collegiate sports marketing firm. In 2004, he joined the Atlantic Coast Conference office, rising to become the Associate Commissioner for Strategic Planning. In this capacity, he played a key role in the ACC–Big Ten Challenge and the conference's expansion, which included the additions of the University of Miami and Virginia Tech.

In 2011, he moved to the Big 12 Conference as the Deputy Commissioner, where his responsibilities encompassed football scheduling, television negotiations, and overseeing championships. He was instrumental in stabilizing the conference during a period of realignment and negotiating its media rights agreements with ESPN and Fox Sports. In 2022, he was appointed by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee to serve as the national director of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, often referred to as "March Madness". In this high-profile position, he manages all aspects of the tournament, including site selection, logistics, broadcast partnerships with CBS Sports and Turner Sports, and its relationship with host venues like Lucas Oil Stadium and the Superdome.

Personal life

He married Sarah Thompson, a graduate of Southern Methodist University, in 1995. The couple has two children and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, the headquarters city of the NCAA. He is actively involved with several charitable organizations, including the V Foundation for Cancer Research and the United Way of Central Indiana. An avid runner, he has completed multiple marathons, including the Boston Marathon.

Legacy and honors

His legacy is marked by a steady, strategic influence on the business and operational structures of major collegiate sports. He received the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Administrator of the Year award in 2019 for his contributions to the Big 12 Conference. His leadership of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament is seen as crucial for navigating the modern challenges of NIL policies, athlete compensation, and media fragmentation. Colleagues often cite his deep institutional knowledge, inherited from his father's tenure, and his ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders from universities like Duke University, the University of Kansas, and Ohio State University as hallmarks of his administrative style. Category:American sports executives Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:University of Notre Dame alumni