UM planning to hire a new AD to replace Radakovich; Michael Yormark targeted
Miami is replacing athletic director Dan Radakovich and is eyeing former Florida Panthers president Michael Yormark to replace him, according to a source with direct knowledge of the discussions.
Yormark was president of the Panthers from 2007 through 2013 and has been working on the business side of Roc Nation since then. He has been offered the UM job, a source said.
Some members of UM’s Board of Trustees were informed Friday that Radakovich will be retiring soon, but they were not told that Yormark is the targeted candidate.
Radakovich’s contract runs through the end of the calendar year and he told The Miami Herald on Jan. 25 that he had no immediate plans to retire but would have conversations with the school about his future in the weeks ahead.
But after several weeks of discussions with school president Joe Echavarria, he decided to retire now, with a formal announcement planned next week, a source said.
The sides have discussed a buyout of his contract, and details are being worked out for him to continue in a consulting role with UM.
Radakovich and UM declined to comment.
According to the source, who has been involved in internal talks, UM has long targeted Yormark, believing he is adept at deal making in the ever-changing, NIL-focused world of college athletics.
Two sources told The Miami Herald in January that UM had someone specific in mind. That source confirmed on Friday that Yormark has been Miami’s target for months.
Yormark is President & Chief of Branding and Strategy for Roc Nation and is responsible for marketing, branding, strategic partnerships and business development for the full-service company that represents artists, athletes, songwriters, music publishing, touring and merchandising, film and television entities and a music label.
Before that, he was president and CEO of Sunrise Sports & Entertainment, the Florida Panthers and the then-called BB&T Center in South Florida. Prior to the Panthers he spent four seasons with Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Tampa Bay Lightning, finishing his Tampa tenure as executive vice president. He has also worked as Vice President of Integrated Sales and Broadcasting for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
He began his professional career in corporate sponsorship sales with the New York Yankees and oversaw sports sponsorship sales for Katz Communication’s television stations.
From there, Yormark joined Front Row Communications, the marketing and broadcasting arm of Wayne Huizenga’s sports holdings. In four years as Vice President of Sales for Front Row, he helped rebuild Sportschannel Florida and assisted in the opening of the BB&T Center.
Yormark and his wife Dana and daughter Sophia reside in Boca Raton, Fla.
His twin brother, Brett, is the commissioner of the Big 12 conference.
Radakovich came to UM from Clemson in December 2021 after the Hurricanes dismissed Blake James, who is now AD at Boston College.
During his tenure, UM made the college football national championship game this past January, qualified for the men’s Final Four for the first time (in 2023) and qualified for the Elite Eight in the women’s basketball tournament for the first time, also in 2023.
Six Miami Hurricanes won individual NCAA championships during his tenure, and 94 percent of the school’s athletes graduated.
Mario Cristobal was hired as football coach just before Radakovich’s hire, but Radakovich made several signature hires, including basketball coach Jai Lucas, who had a wildly successful first season, leading UM to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.
Radakovich also hired baseball coach JD Arteaga and oversaw fund-raising and execution of several on-campus projects, including an on-going renovation of the school’s primarily athletic building.
In 2026, Radakovich was named one of four NACDA Athletic Directors of the Year for FBS.
Radakovich, 67, earned his MBA from UM in 1982, after earning his bachelor’s degree in finance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in 1980.
He began his management career as an athletic business manager at UM, a role he served for three years before becoming associate AD at Long Beach State in 1989.
After six years there, he left to serve as associate AD at South Carolina.
He later served as athletic director at American University, Georgia Tech, Clemson and Miami.
Radakovich worked at Clemson for 10 years before replacing James at UM. He was named Sports Business Daily’s Athletic Director of the Year in 2017 and served as a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee from 2014 to 2017.
This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 6:08 PM.
