When Bill Belichick arrived at UNC on a whopping $50 million contract, the head coach wasn’t coming alone. Along with him came Michael Lombardi, a colleague of Belichick in the NFL since 2014, when he went to the Patriots. The hiring wasn’t just casual or for show; the man was coming on a $1.5 million per year contract and brought with him experience in the NFL since 1984. Lombardi’s hiring was pivotal and has changed the dynamics of the program.
From terming UNC football as the “33rd NFL franchise” to changing Kenan Stadium to natural grass from artificial turf, Lombardi has started transforming things at UNC. In terms of recruiting, the guy has adopted a model similar to the NFL drafts involving systematic grading and assigning value-based metrics. “If you’re a starter on the team, there’s going to be a certain value placed on what level of starter you are. You just can’t arbitrarily say, ‘I like this guy, I like that guy.’ We’re not picking fruit here. You have to have a grading system,” said Lombardi. But are Lombardi’s exploits enough to change Belichick’s football program?
UNC has recently hired their current Athletic Director, Bubba Cunningham’s successor, Steve Newmark, as executive associate AD. Steve comes after a wealth of experience at RFK Racing in NASCAR. Even Cunningham agreed the change was needed as he appeared on the June 1 podcast episode of Go Heels.
“There’s a whole new horizon that we have to be prepared for. And I think what we’re trying to do is set ourselves up for that success. Whether it’s Steve Newmark coming in and then taking over as the AD next year, or all the GMs that we have in place. It’s going to continue to evolve, and I think this is a really good logical progression of where we’re headed.” Steve Newmark’s NASCAR experience will surely be pivotal in a new landscape post-House v. NCAA settlement. And Bill Belichick will surely get a boost.
North Carolina extends AD Bubba Cunningham’s contract by two years and hires RFK Racing President Steve Newmark as executive associate AD and his successor.
“Newmark will transition to the Director of Athletics role in the summer of 2026.” pic.twitter.com/jUO3IOlAOH
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 1, 2025
Newmark was a key figure in developing the NASCAR Cup Series’ charter system in 2016, which essentially made race teams into franchises, guaranteeing race shares. Moreover, his time as president of RFK Racing since 2010 has brought them a plethora of sponsorships, and the organization noted his “strong vision and steadfast dedication” over 15 years.
Not only that, the guy also brings regulatory experience, having been a partner at a Charlotte-based law firm. The experience will surely come in handy with lawsuits piling up in the NCAA and with players. But the pivotal thing for something else in his hiring, to provide Belichick a new revenue stream, as Cunningham tells.
Steve Newmark is bringing new revenue for Bill Belichick and others
Bubba Cunningham, who has overseen the national championship for UNC’s basketball team in 2017 and also saw them enter the finals in 2022, surely has a deep connection with the program. But he will not be staying for long and will hand over the duties in 2026. However, Cunningham recognizes the need for a change and explains why Steve Newmark’s hiring was vital for the program.
“70 to 80% of the revenue in NASCAR is from sponsors. They don’t get tickets. They don’t have arenas. That’s all centrally owned and managed. So the economic model is very, very different. And so that kind of got me thinking about how do we continue to position ourselves, because recognizing that tickets and television and philanthropy are the three that we’re really good at, but sponsorships is something I think we have a growth area,” said Cunningham.
All in all, the hiring of Steve Newmark is a sign of positive things to come at UNC and will surely benefit the program massively. As for Cunningham? He will not be the AD after summer in 2026, but he has renewed his contract for two more years and will stay at UNC, probably in a different capacity.
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