Kentucky
Kentucky looks to make athletic department LLC
Kentucky will ask its board of trustees Friday to approve a plan to convert its entire athletic department into an LLC, a move the school says will position it to adapt to the new climate of collegiate sports.
Champions Blue, the name of the school’s proposed Limited Liability Company, would allow Kentucky to create a public-private partnership and raise funds and handle expenses as collegiate sports shifts into a new era if the House settlement is approved and schools are allowed to share revenue with athletes in the years ahead, the school said in a statement.
A board composed of business and professional sports experts will advise athletic director Mitch Barnhart and school president Eli Capilouto under the proposed model, which the school is calling one of the first in Division I sports.
“We believe this is an innovative approach — a new structure and governance model that thoughtfully contemplates how we strengthen athletics, protect and promote the university and open up new opportunities for growth,” Capilouto said. “It’s a foundation and model that we are calling Champions Blue. Athletics and its success have always been the result of an incredible and productive partnership with campus. It will continue to be in the future — if we seize the opportunities in front of us to meet the challenges that lie ahead.”
The public-private partnership could give the school access to unorthodox revenue streams like real estate as collegiate sports undergo a transformational shift with schools — under the terms of the House settlement — expected to be able to give a pool of $20 million to athletes who may also still have the opportunity to capitalize on outside NIL deals. The school said the proposed model, which would make the athletic department a holding company, is one it has used outside athletics to acquire a pair of local hospitals.
Last week, a study led by former Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs advised that schools should consider hiring human resources departments and operating like businesses instead of traditional athletic departments.
Shortly after the school’s announcement of the proposed model for sports, Kentucky football head coach Mark Stoops tweeted: “Big news! Thankful for the leadership we have at [University of Kentucky].”
Kentucky is one of the most financially formidable schools in the country. The school’s athletic department generates more than $166 million in revenue, according to U.S. Department of Education data. That’s a top-20 mark, according to USA Today’s database of athletic department revenue.
But the proposed model, the school said, is necessary to thrive in the next chapter of collegiate sports.
“Our mission remains the same: to put championship rings on fingers and diplomas in hands,” Barnhart said in a statement. “But how we accomplish that goal — how we finance our teams, protect our future and support our student athletes — will have to change.
“That’s what this new model represents — an understanding that in the market we are in that we have to be creative. We have to find new ways to generate revenue, manage expenses and think about opportunities to grow.”
GRAYSON, Ky. (WSAZ) – New information has been released in the search for a missing woman at Grayson Lake.
According to game wardens with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Marly Kinney, 19, of Ashland, was last seen at Grayson Lake on Wednesday afternoon.
They say search efforts are focused on the water at this time and include Kentucky State Police aerial support, drones, boats, and K9 assistance.
Crews suspend search for missing teen for the night
The search is now into its third day, with officials saying on and off rain has hindered their search and that a group of 50 volunteers are walking the banks of the lake to help in the search.
Search and rescue boats have been seen at the lake as well.
Officials say there are still many questions, including if Kinney is still alive and where exactly she went missing.
They also say they’ve been using a variety of equipment, including sonar and thermal detectors, as well as helicopters and underwater drones.
WSAZ received a statement from Kinney’s family Friday afternoon:
“We are very appreciative of the absolute surplus of support from law enforcement, search and rescue, 1st responders, and all of the community and its volunteers that are here with us and for us searching for Marly. We do not even know how to express our absolute gratitude to you all. We continue to have faith she will be found and brought back to us. We know we have the very best people doing all they can to bring her home.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
We are still working to get more information.
Previous coverage can be found here.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot
Hoping to win the Powerball jackpot? Here are 13 things more likely to happen than becoming an instant millionaire.
The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Thursday, June 25, 2026 winning numbers for each game.
Cash Ball
02-08-24-32, Cash Ball: 09
Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
Evening: 6-3-0
Midday: 9-6-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
Evening: 5-7-6-0
Midday: 5-2-6-6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
03-13-14-34-45, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
On Thursday, Kentucky’s home and away SEC opponents for the 2026-27 season were revealed and on top of learning the three opponents who they will play twice, there are some very intriguing matchups. In conference play, Kentucky will face six teams who are among the top 25 in many preseason rankings.
In SEC play, Kentucky will play Tennessee, Vandy and Ole Miss all both home and away. The home matchups include Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy. As for the road tilts, the Wildcats will face Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Vandy. Let’s take a look at some interesting developments from the schedule release.
John Calipari returns to Rupp Arena (again)
In Calipari’s first year with Arkansas, he got the best of Kentucky when he came into Rupp Arena and left with a 10-point victory, a game where you could really feel the tension all game long in the building from Kentucky fans, which translated onto the court with the players. Last season, it was Kentucky who shocked everyone when they stole one on the road against a top 20 Arkansas team after a rough up-and-down season up to that point. Now, the two will face off again as Kentucky will look to get the win in Rupp and make sure Calipari doesn’t get two in a row in the building. It’ll be another highly-anticipated showdown.
Kentucky hits the road at Texas
This is shaping up to be a major challenge for Kentucky next season and may even end up being one of the biggest games of the season. Texas is seen by many as a clear top 10 team, with some even having them within the top five and when you combine that with the fact that the game is on the road, the Wildcats will have their hands full. The Wildcats fell to the longhorns in the 2024-25 season, and it’ll be a much stiffer challenge this time.
Which game could be a trap?
We don’t have the game-by-game dates yet, so it’s hard to say with a lot of confidence, but opponent-wise, Georgia could really give Kentucky fits. In Pope’s first year, his team struggled handling the physicality of the Bulldogs and now, they’ve retained one of their best guards for another year and have added physicality through the portal. Mike White’s teams love to make opponents uncomfortable and they could do that once again down in Athens. Another sneaky team to watch is Oklahoma, who will have very good guard play. Kentucky will face both teams on the road.
Overall, it’s a pretty fair SEC schedule for a Kentucky team who has the capability of a return to being atop the conference once again. Mark Pope has such a system-fit squad and he can do some damage in the SEC.
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