Dan Radakovich

Dan Radakovich (born June 9, 1958) is the athletics director at Clemson University.[2] Previously, he was the Athletics Director at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position he held from February 22, 2006 to October 29, 2012.[3] He was previously the Senior Associate Director of Athletics at Louisiana State University.

For the NFL offensive line coach, see Dan Radakovich (American football).

Dan Radakovich
Current position
TitleAthletic director
TeamClemson
ConferenceACC
Biographical details
Born (1958-06-09) June 9, 1958
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Alma materIndiana University Pa. (B.S.)
University of Miami (M.B.A.)
Playing career
1977–1980IUP
Position(s)Tight end, punter[1]
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1983–1985Miami (FL) (athletic business manager)
1989–1994Long Beach State (associate AD)
1994–2000South Carolina (associate AD)
2000–2001American
2001–2006LSU (senior associate AD)
2006–2012Georgia Tech
2012–presentClemson

Radakovich has a long background in dealing with program finance, as well as large scale renovation and facility improvement. Over the course of his career, Radakovich has managed over a quarter of a billion dollars for various universities' athletic departments.

Early life and education

Radakovich, a Serbian American,[4] hails from Monaca, Pennsylvania where he attended Center High School, just outside Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. He was a distinguished graduate from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1980) where he earned a bachelor's degree in finance. He graduated from the University of Miami Business School in 1982 with a master's degree in business administration.[5]

Early career

At Long Beach State, he revamped radio broadcast agreements.

At South Carolina, he managed $33 million in facility improvements, including the Colonial Life Arena, now the home of USC's basketball teams as well as other sports.

At American University, he worked to get the school into the Patriot League.

Later career

At LSU, he developed a football ticket donation program, and was involved in $90,000,000 renovation of Tiger Stadium.

When hired at Georgia Tech on February 22, 2006, Radakovich beat out former Tech player and head coach Bill Curry and former Tech baseball and football player and baseball assistant coach Cam Bonifay for the job.[6][7][8][9] Radakovich improved the sales of season tickets for the 2006 football season, especially "chairback" or "club level" season tickets; hired football head coach Paul Johnson. He changed the way that athletic seating worked with the TECH Fund. The program also had several facilities changes, including a new indoor practice facility for football, Alexander Memorial Coliseum redesigned as Hank McCamish Pavilion, and rebuilt tennis facilities.. He is blamed for leaving the school saddled with the stigma of being the sole major program wearing Russell Athletic uniforms until 2018.[10] The original contract was for 10 years, beginning in July 2008. Then-AD Radakovich had the option to cancel the final 5 years of the partnership prior to August 1, 2012.

At Clemson

On October 29, 2012, Radakovich accepted position of athletic director at Clemson University.[2][3] Since taking over as Athletic Director, Radakovich has helped complete more than $180 million in facility enhancements, headlined by a rebuilt Littlejohn Coliseum, the Reeves Football Operations Complex, Duckworth Family Tennis Center, Baseball Operations facility[11] and the new softball stadium,[12] set to open in 2020.

The Reeves complex opened in Feb. of 2017,[13] just weeks after winning the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship. Radakovich has overseen Clemson's rise to a national football power, led by Head Coach Dabo Swinney. Swinney's football program claimed both the 2016 and 2018 College Football National Championship. Radakovich also helped complete several premium seating projects in several facilities. Clemson's Athletic Department has set records in Academic Progress Rate, Graduation Success Rate[14] and numerous other academic measures.

Department revenue nearly doubled from $69 million in FY14 to more than $120 million in 2019. Clemson also agreed a new 10-year, $58 million partnership[15] with Nike that spans all sports.

Radakovich was named Sports Business Daily's Athletic Director of the Year in 2017 at the Sports Business Awards.[16]

Radakovich was a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee from 2014-2017.[17][18] Radakovich signed an extension through 2024 in April 2019.

References
  1. "Tech names Radakovich". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. February 23, 2006. Archived from the original on February 23, 2006. Retrieved November 12, 2007.
  2. "Report: Dan Radakovich to Clemson". ESPN. October 29, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  3. "Radakovich headed for Clemson". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. October 28, 2012. Archived from the original on October 30, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  4. Grecic/Lopusina, "SVI SRBI SVETA" - Iseljenicke asocijacije Archived November 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Dan Radakovich". clemsontigers.com. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  6. "Dan Radakovich is Tech's New Athletics Director" (Press release). Georgia Institute of Technology. February 22, 2006. Archived from the original on April 19, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
  7. "Radakovich Named Georgia Tech Director of Athletics". RamblinWreck.com. Georgia Tech Athletic Association. February 22, 2006. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  8. "Radakovich replaces Braine". The Technique. February 24, 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
  9. "Tech taps Radakovich to lead Athletic Association". The Whistle. Georgia Institute of Technology. February 27, 2006. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  10. Sugiura, Ken. "How Georgia Tech's equipment staff is handling the switch to Adidas". ajc. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  11. Clemson Tigers (April 1, 2018), Clemson Baseball || Player Facility Tour, retrieved July 23, 2019
  12. "From the roster to the stadium, Clemson softball foundation taking shape". TigerNet.com. April 17, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  13. "Clemson opens new football center, just in time for Signing Day". The Greenville News. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  14. dthomas (November 19, 2013). "Graduation Rates". NCAA.org - The Official Site of the NCAA. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  15. Chiari, Mike. "Nike, Clemson Agree to 10-Year, $58 Million Apparel Contract Extension". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  16. "Sports Business Awards: Clemson's Dan Radakovich Wins Athletic Director Of The Year". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  17. "Dan Radakovich's CFP Committee Tenure". Clemson Tigers Official Athletics Site. February 7, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  18. "Selection Committee". College Football Playoff. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
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