Baylor athletic director Doug McNamee says the Bears are in position to thrive in the next era of college sports, but only if the department keeps hitting the right notes on revenue, fan connection and football.
In an appearance on 365 Sports, McNamee laid out how Baylor is approaching a changing landscape that now includes jersey patch sponsorships, conference-wide commercial deals, federal legislation and the ever-present pressure to keep football moving forward under coach Dave Aranda.
One of the clearest examples of Baylor’s patience is the school’s approach to jersey patch sponsorships. McNamee said the Bears are not eager to jump into a deal before the 2026 football season, preferring to wait and get the most value possible from one of the program’s top sponsorship assets.
Around the country, schools have already landed patch agreements worth millions, but McNamee warned against treating those public numbers as apples-to-apples comparisons. In his view, many of those deals include more than just the patch itself.
"We're not going to rush it," McNamee said. "We're not going to fire-sale it."
He said Baylor believes it can land a partnership that reflects the university’s value while also fitting the school’s identity.
McNamee also backed the Big 12’s new conference-wide sponsorship with Monster Energy, saying the arrangement creates additional revenue instead of cutting into what schools can do on their own. He pointed out that the conference controls certain branding assets, including the logo placement on football jerseys and basketball courts, which opens the door for new money for member schools.
"We certainly won't turn that money down," McNamee said, while also praising Commissioner Brett Yormark for pushing into new commercial territory.
On the legislative side, McNamee urged caution when it comes to the proposed Protect College Sports Act. He said reports suggesting the bill is dead may be jumping the gun.
He acknowledged the measure is not perfect, but said it would still be a step forward from where college athletics stands now.
"I think perfection is the enemy of progress," McNamee said, arguing the current setup is not sustainable and that simply keeping things as they are is not an option. He also said fan interests need to stay at the center of any conversation about the future of college sports.
That message tied directly into the broader ideas he laid out in a recent USA Today opinion piece. McNamee pushed for a financial model that lasts, one that keeps competition more balanced. He used the NFL’s revenue-sharing setup as a model for how leagues can preserve parity while still letting franchises grow in value.
He said schools like Ohio State and Texas can keep becoming more valuable without building a system where only a few programs have a real shot at championships.
Inside Baylor, McNamee boiled the mission down to three words: "fans, funding and football."
Football success, he said, still drives donations, visibility and momentum across the department. He also noted that football and men’s basketball account for the vast majority of television revenue, which makes success in those sports essential to the athletic department’s financial health. At the same time, he said coaches in every sport now have a role in fundraising, whether that involves NIL support, scholarships or donor outreach.
McNamee said Baylor expects to stay in college athletics’ top competitive tier no matter what changes come next in governance or conference structure. He pointed to the school’s athletic results, academic standing, Texas location and institutional identity as reasons Baylor should remain relevant.
A big part of that vision is growing Baylor’s local fan base. McNamee highlighted the Waco Rush Pass, lower ticket prices and cheaper concessions as ways to bring in Central Texas residents who may not already have a connection to the university.
The goal, he said, is bigger than filling seats.
He wants game-day experiences to turn more local families into Baylor supporters and, eventually, into Baylor students.
When the conversation turned to Aranda and the 2026 season, McNamee avoided putting a specific win total on the program. Instead, he said Baylor needs to rediscover the energy that surrounded its 2021 Big 12 championship run.
"I don't have it in my head there needs to be a number," McNamee said. "There needs to be a feel and a vibe where people see this program as one they want to invest in."
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