 |
Higher Ed AthleticsAuthor: Travis Smith
Trying to think critically about the NCAA division one athletic director position by interviewing thought-leaders in a qualitative research format. Editor's Note: Episode titles were attributed to the position/institution at time of recording. Language: en Genres: Sports Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
Montana State Athletic Director Leon Costello
Sunday, 26 April, 2026
Just how difficult is it to run a FCS athletic department right now? In what ways will the football national championship help Montana State with both fans and corporations? Those that watch Higher Ed Athletics know I think highly of Leon Costello, and this interview will show you why. We talk about fan support and the trickle-down-effect of North Dakota State reclassifying as FBS. Is there pressure for Montana State to follow? We discuss football and basketball scheduling strategies with talk of the CFP and March Madness both likely to expand at some point. Costello's response about football scheduling priorities may surprise you. He shares his thought processes behind hiring and evaluating head coaches and ends the conversation with advice for aspiring ADs that is also helpful for current ADs sitting in the chair.0:00 Introduction1:40 How difficult is it running a FCS athletic department right now?6:55 What does winning FCS national championship mean for fan support return on investment?12:20 How are companies in Bozeman area responding to success of Montana State?16:30 North Dakota State trickle-down-effect. Pressure to go FBS?23:45 Future scheduling with CFP and March Madness expansion27:45 Head Coach hiring approaches and evaluations37:48 Final advice for aspiring (or current) athletic directors41:45 The cool factor of having Rodeo as a varsity sportHigher Ed Athletics is Rethinking How Athletic Directors are Studied, Prepared, and Hired. AD Vantage empowers athletic directors with comprehensive staff data, performance analytics, and AI-powered candidate insights to make smarter hiring, compensation, and retention decisions in an era where every dollar counts. Learn more: https://www.athleticdirectorvantage.comOnrise provides complete mental health Coverage for your Athletes. One call. Same-day setup. Your athletes get immediate access to peer support from retired pros, licensed clinicians, and 24/7 crisis care. Less than one in-house FTE. No hiring hassles. No initiative fatigue. Learn more: https://onrise.care
