LOS ANGELES — UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. Tim Harris replaced Jarmond as UCLA athletic director and CEO effective immediately.

Chancellor Julio Frenk announced the change in a letter to the university community. Harris will serve on a pro bono basis.

Frenk cited financial instability as the primary driver for the leadership transition. "UCLA Athletics currently carries a significant financial debt, and its current path is not sustainable," he said. The chancellor stated that the department accumulated $241 million in deficits over seven consecutive years.

The most recent fiscal data showed a deficit of $21.6 million for the 2025 fiscal year. This figure represented a decrease from the $62.5 million shortfall recorded during the 2021 fiscal year. At the end of the 2024 fiscal year, UCLA athletics carried $51.8 million in debt.

Harris brings extensive professional sports experience to the interim role. He is a former president of business operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. Harris spent more than 35 years with the organization before leaving in February 2026.

His departure from the Lakers followed the sale of the franchise. The Buss family sold the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter in October 2025.

Harris has deep ties to the university as an alumnus and former athlete. He graduated from UCLA in 1989 with a sociology degree. During his time as a student, Harris played goalkeeper for the UCLA men's soccer team. He is 64 years old.

Jarmond served as UCLA athletic director for six years after being hired in 2020. He signed a five-year contract extension in May 2024. Reports indicate Jarmond is owed approximately $6.5 million on his remaining contract. Jarmond is 46 years old.

Despite the financial challenges, the athletic department achieved competitive success under Jarmond. UCLA won nine NCAA championships during Jarmond's tenure. In the 2025-26 season alone, UCLA won three NCAA championships, including women's basketball, men's water polo, and beach volleyball.

The university also performed well in conference play after joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024. UCLA won 10 conference championships during its first season in the Big Ten. The school finished third in the most recent Directors' Cup standings.

Financial inflows increased during the recent period but did not eliminate the deficit. UCLA received more than $61 million in Big Ten media-rights revenue during its first year in the conference. The department raised more than $41 million from donors during the 2025-26 fiscal year. UCLA received $30 million in direct institutional support in the 2025 fiscal year.

The football program underwent changes during this period. Chip Kelly left UCLA for an offensive coordinator position at Ohio State in February 2024. DeShaun Foster was hired as his replacement but was fired after an 0-3 start to the 2025 season.

Foster compiled a 5-10 record as UCLA football coach. Bob Chesney was hired as UCLA football coach in December 2025.

The department also navigated apparel contract issues. UCLA signed a six-year apparel deal with Nike and Jordan Brand after Under Armour terminated its previous agreement. UCLA and Under Armour reached a $67.5 million settlement regarding the terminated apparel agreement.

Why It Matters

The dismissal shows the financial pressures facing major collegiate athletic programs during shifting revenue models. The accumulation of $241 million in deficits over seven years demonstrates the scale of the challenge, even as the department secured substantial media rights fees and donor contributions. The appointment of an interim leader with professional sports business experience signals a strategic pivot toward revenue generation and partnership development.

The transition occurs as the university seeks to stabilize its athletic model while maintaining competitive excellence. With nine NCAA championships won during the outgoing director's tenure and a top-three finish in the Directors' Cup, the department faces the task of aligning financial sustainability with high-level performance. The search for a permanent director will likely focus on candidates who can address the structural debt while navigating the evolving landscape of student-athlete compensation.

Timeline

Tim Harris graduated from UCLA in 1989 with a sociology degree. Martin Jarmond replaced Dan Guerrero as athletic director in 2020. Martin Jarmond was hired in 2020. The UCLA athletic department had a $62.5 million shortfall during the 2021 fiscal year.

Martin Jarmond signed a five-year contract extension in May 2024. UCLA athletics carried $51.8 million in debt at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. UCLA joined the Big Ten Conference in 2024.

What's New

Airplane banners calling for Martin Jarmond's dismissal flew over the Rose Bowl before two games in September 2025. A van bearing a message calling for Martin Jarmond's dismissal drove around UCLA campus in September 2025. Chancellor Julio Frenk stated, "We have all watched as the landscape of college athletics has transformed in recent years, driven by the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), new models for student-athlete compensation and a rapidly changing sports marketplace."

Frenk added, "I believe UCLA should help lead the transformation of intercollegiate athletics: our future must be shaped by purpose — not by pressure." He also said, "I am grateful to Martin for his extraordinary service to UCLA and for his leadership over the past six years." Regarding the interim appointee, he said, "Tim will develop a new strategy to grow revenue through partnerships, licensing and other ventures, while ensuring that our student-athletes and coaches have the required support to compete at the highest level." He further noted, "Simply put, he loves UCLA and cares deeply about our future."

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the details regarding the UCLA football coach. The UCLA athletic department press release states that DeShaun Foster was fired as UCLA football coach after an 0-3 start to the 2025 season. NCAA football records state that DeShaun Foster compiled a 5-10 record as UCLA football coach.