The University of South Florida announced a familiar name to take the helm of its athletics department.
Tampa Bay Sports Commission executive director Rob Higgins — who has been responsible for bringing large-scale events such as the Super Bowl to Tampa — will be USF's first-ever CEO of athletics. He will also be the first alum to lead the department.
The hire comes after a national search to replace athletic director Michael Kelly, who left the university over the summer to tackle the same role with the U.S. Naval Academy.
ALSO READ: USF athletic director Michael Kelly accepts position with US Naval Academy
USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford said that as the university started the search, it became clear that paradigm of college sports was changing and the school needed a chief executive — not just an athletic director. He added Higgins is an ambitious leader who isn't afraid to dream big.
"In this new era of college athletics, not only is the role about providing a top-tier experience for our student-athletes across all sports, it now requires a business approach to build a competitive enterprise, grow revenue, embrace innovation, lead through change and position our university — and the Tampa Bay region — on the national stage," Weatherford said.
Higgins arrives as the USF football program prepares to play in a new $348.5 million football stadium on its Tampa campus by the 2027 season.
Bulls and Bay Area through and through.
— USF Athletics (@USFAthletics) September 9, 2025
Our first-ever CEO is one of our own.
Welcome home, @RHiggins_TBSC! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/XCjlAZkpnN
And it comes days after the Bulls' football team reached the AP Top 25 for the first time since the 2017 season, opening the season with wins over two ranked programs, Boise State and Florida.
According to a release, Higgins' connection with Bulls Nation started when he was just a kid. At 8, he attended his first men's basketball game. Shortly after, he became a ball kid for the team.
Then, after graduating from USF, he worked as a staff member for the athletics department. During this time, he helped oversee facilities and event management.
ALSO READ: USF's on-campus stadium has a slightly higher price tag — but also extra features
But his accolades and influence in the Bay area increased over the years. In his role with the sports commission, he's helped position the region to host several major events:
- Two Super Bowls.
- The College Football Playoff national championship.
- Four NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Fours.
- Three NCAA men’s basketball tournament first- and second-rounds games.
- Three NCAA Men’s Frozen Fours.
Higgins was also president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee in 2021 and the bid and operations committee that hosted the Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.
"Through his tireless efforts over the past two decades, Rob has helped elevate Tampa Bay through hosting events that generate economic impact for our communities, attract thousands of visitors to the area and grow the region’s brand to audiences across the world."Rhea Law, USF president
Other accolades include being named to the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Power 100 each of the past five years, selected for Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" and more. He even was inducted into USF's Zimmerman School of Advertising Hall of Fame in 2015 and, more recently, received the Distinguished Citizen Award at the USF Commencement in May.
USF president Rhea Law said Higgins is a great example of the impact alumni have made in their communities.
"Through his tireless efforts over the past two decades, Rob has helped elevate Tampa Bay through hosting events that generate economic impact for our communities, attract thousands of visitors to the area and grow the region’s brand to audiences across the world,” Law said.
But if you told the 8-year-old version of Higgins that he'd one day be running the USF athletics department, he probably wouldn't have believed you.
"I never imagined that an opportunity to volunteer as a young boy at USF basketball games would take me down a path to a career of over 20 years serving at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and now the opportunity to return to my alma mater as the first CEO of athletics," Higgins said. "Cliches are often rooted in some truth, but this truly is a dream come true. I could not be more honored to take on this responsibility and could not be more excited to get started."
USF said an introductory press conference is scheduled for Sept. 22.
