CU Athletics Announces New Strategic Plan for 2026-2028
October 20, 2025 | General
New Plan Outlines Department's Priorities and Goals for the Next Three Years
The University of Colorado Athletic Department has released a new Strategic Plan, which will be instrumental in charting a course for CU Athletics over the next three years, Athletic Director Rick George announced today.
Normally a new plan is developed every three years but changes to the college athletics industry brought forth by the House settlement, Name, Image, and Likeness, and the transfer portal, have necessitated a new plan just one year after the 2024 plan was announced. The new plan will encompass 2026 through 2028.
"This is an unprecedented time in college athletics but CU is poised to once again be a national leader," said George. "This plan outlines new priorities to reflect our new reality while setting up the ambitious goals that will propel our department and our student-athletes to success."
The new Strategic Plan will prioritize financial growth and revenue generation as a mechanism to fuel competitive strength.
The plan's top three strategic intents are:
CU Athletics will also continue to lean heavily on the groundbreaking work of the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete Program, which is the first of its kind in college athletics and provides real-time data that can inform how the department can best support student-athletes in competition, in the classroom, and in life.
The 2025 Strategic Plan also increases the scope of vision for CU Athletics from being nationally recognized to being the global brand it has become.
As with every Strategic Plan, the updated version provides specific metrics to serve as aspirational, yet attainable goals pertaining primarily to revenue generation, including special events, sponsorships, and donations.
Remaining constant in this and every CU Athletics strategic plan are the core principals, RAPID, that guide the department. These include:
Normally a new plan is developed every three years but changes to the college athletics industry brought forth by the House settlement, Name, Image, and Likeness, and the transfer portal, have necessitated a new plan just one year after the 2024 plan was announced. The new plan will encompass 2026 through 2028.
"This is an unprecedented time in college athletics but CU is poised to once again be a national leader," said George. "This plan outlines new priorities to reflect our new reality while setting up the ambitious goals that will propel our department and our student-athletes to success."
The new Strategic Plan will prioritize financial growth and revenue generation as a mechanism to fuel competitive strength.
The plan's top three strategic intents are:
- Financial position
- Competitive success
- Data driven metrics from the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete Program
CU Athletics will also continue to lean heavily on the groundbreaking work of the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete Program, which is the first of its kind in college athletics and provides real-time data that can inform how the department can best support student-athletes in competition, in the classroom, and in life.
The 2025 Strategic Plan also increases the scope of vision for CU Athletics from being nationally recognized to being the global brand it has become.
As with every Strategic Plan, the updated version provides specific metrics to serve as aspirational, yet attainable goals pertaining primarily to revenue generation, including special events, sponsorships, and donations.
Remaining constant in this and every CU Athletics strategic plan are the core principals, RAPID, that guide the department. These include:
- Respect: The willingness to honor and embrace the diverse perspectives and inherent worth of individuals through listening and empathy.
- Accountability: Being responsible for agreed upon standards, decisions, actions and results that impact CU Athletics.
- Passion: Personal motivation, shared energy, and action for student-athlete and department success.
- Integrity: To act in alignment with shared expectations in an honest and transparent manner.
- Dedication: The commitment and perseverance to find the best ethical solutions and practices to achieve our vision and mission.
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