UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond on Monday.
In a letter to the UCLA community, chancellor Julio Frenk explained the move, citing that UCLA athletics “currently carries a significant financial deficit, and its current path is not sustainable.”
“I am grateful to Martin for his extraordinary service to UCLA and for his leadership over the past six years,” Frenk said in the letter. “During his tenure, UCLA’s student-athletes continued to achieve at the highest levels, including three NCAA championship titles last year.”
Frenk confirmed an ESPN report that Tim Harris will serve as CEO and AD of UCLA Athletics in Jarmond’s place. Harris, a former Los Angeles Lakers executive who spent 35 years with the franchise, will work the interim role on a pro bono basis.
“Tim knows what it takes to grow a world-class sports organization and global brand, and he holds longstanding relationships throughout Los Angeles and globally,” Frenk said. “He brings decades of experience in creating partnerships and new sources of revenue, along with a personal focus on centering the student-athlete experience.”
Jarmond is set to be owed the $6.5 million remaining on his contract. He has been there since 2020 when he arrived from Boston College.
During his time at UCLA, Jarmond oversaw the departure of Chip Kelly in 2024 and replaced him with former player DeShaun Foster, who went 5-10 in a short stint as the football program’s head coach. Foster was fired last year after an 0-3 start to the season.
Jarmond also played a role in the Bruins’ decision to leave the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten in August 2024 alongside rival USC.
This offseason, Jarmond hired Bob Chesney from JMU, where he went 21-6 as the football program’s head coach. The Bruins are set to kick off the Chesney era Saturday against Cal.
According to Frenk, Harris will develop “a new strategy to grow revenue through partnerships, licensing and other ventures” as part of his new role.
“Now is the moment to build a model for Athletics that protects the breadth of our program, creates new opportunities for student-athletes and coaches, and supports itself through the revenue it generates,” Frank said. “I believe UCLA should help lead the transformation of intercollegiate athletics: our future must be shaped by purpose — not by pressure.”
