Former Tampa Bay Sports Commission director returns to lead alma mater’s athletic department
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of South Florida (USF) announced today the appointment of Rob Higgins as its inaugural CEO of Athletics. Higgins, a USF alumnus and former staff member, has spent the last two decades as the executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, where he solidified the region as a premier destination for major sporting events.
His appointment marks the first time a USF alumnus will lead the athletic department.
In his new role, Higgins will be tasked with transforming the athletic department into a “business enterprise,” a strategic move that reflects the evolving landscape of college athletics.
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“Our next leader couldn’t just be an athletics director – we needed a CEO of USF Athletics,” said USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford. He emphasized that Higgins’s proven track record of growing revenue and leading through change makes him the ideal candidate to position USF and the Tampa Bay region on the national stage.
Higgins’s tenure at the Tampa Bay Sports Commission has been marked by a long list of high-profile successes, including hosting two Super Bowls, a College Football Playoff National Championship, and numerous NCAA championship events.
“I never imagined that an opportunity to volunteer as a young boy at USF basketball games would take me down a path… to return to my alma mater as the first CEO of Athletics,” Higgins said. “This truly is a dream come true.”
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The appointment comes at a pivotal time for USF Athletics, which is preparing to open its new on-campus stadium in the coming years.
USF President Rhea Law praised Higgins for his “tireless efforts” in elevating the Tampa Bay community and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the Bulls into a new era.
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