How UW is navigating the rapidly changing landscape

MADISON, WI (September 17, 2026) — College athletics is changing faster than ever. From increased benefits to athletes (including name, image, and likeness opportunities) and increased athlete mobility through the transfer portal, to evolving fan expectations and new opportunities for growth, universities across the country are navigating a rapidly shifting landscape.

Join UW–Madison’s new athletic director, Shawn Eichorst, and Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Greg Gard as they discuss what’s ahead for college sports and how the UW is adapting. This timely conversation will offer an insider’s perspective on the challenges, opportunities, and innovations shaping the next era of college athletics.

Some key questions they’ll discuss include:

  • What have been the most significant changes across college sports in the past five years? What drove these changes?
  • How have these changes affected opportunities for student-athletes across various sports? Are student-athletes better off because of the changes?
  • How do these changes affect the responsibilities of coaches and their staff?
  • How are other athletic departments and universities responding to these changes? Is Wisconsin well-positioned to succeed in the new environment? What adjustments and investments do you foresee needing to ensure success?

Join the Wisconsin Alumni Association online on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. CDT. Mike Knetter will moderate this live discussion.

To watch live and chat with guests, please take one minute to register, and you’ll be sent a link to watch the program. If you can’t tune in on the night of the show, we’ll send you a link to the recorded version following the event. To watch past programs, check out the Wisconsin Alumni Association YouTube channel. 

ABOUT THE WISCONSIN FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the interests of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It brings together alumni and friends of the university to raise, invest, and distribute funds, and it connects a growing number of Badgers to help facilitate their support for each other and the university. For more information, please visit supportuw.org or uwalumni.com.