UCLA ousts athletic director Martin Jarmond, taps former Lakers executive Tim Harris to replace him

LOS ANGELES — UCLA fired athletic director Martin Jarmond on Monday and replaced him with Tim Harris, the former longtime president of business operations for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The shake-up was announced in a letter from Chancellor Julio Frenk to the university community. Frank described it as a "new path forward for UCLA Athletics."

Jarmond, who had the job for six years, leaves immediately. The Bruins won three NCAA championships last season, including the first by the women's basketball team.

Harris, 64, will have the title of CEO and athletic director and work on a pro bono basis, Frenk wrote. Harris graduated from UCLA in 1989 with a sociology degree and played goalkeeper for the men's soccer team while in Westwood.

Harris spent over 35 years with the Lakers and left the NBA franchise in February, four months after the Buss family sold it to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter. Harris was among Lakers governor Jeanie Buss' inner circle who received a major financial bonus after the sale. The team was recently sold again.

Jarmond, 46, replaced Dan Guerrero as AD in 2020. He signed a five-year contract extension in May 2024. During his tenure, the athletic department has run yearly deficits for seven consecutive years, totaling $241 million in shortfalls.

UCLA joined the Big Ten Conference two years ago, raking in millions of dollars in media rights fees while also facing increased travel expenses. Its deficit was reduced to $21.6 million for the 2025 fiscal year. The university has repeatedly bailed out the athletic department to keep it afloat.

Frenk cited the financial situation as a reason for the change.

"UCLA Athletics currently carries a significant financial debt, and its current path is not sustainable," Frenk wrote. "Now is the moment to build a model for Athletics that protects the breadth of our program, creates new opportunities for student-athletes and coaches, and supports itself through the revenue it generates."

Frenk mentioned the rapid transformation of college sports in recent years, propelled by name, image and likeness deals that allow athletes to earn money.

"UCLA must have an athletics model that leads — not just keeps pace," he wrote.

Jarmond won't be around to see the debut of his last major coaching hire. Bob Chesney arrived in early December from James Madison to reinvigorate UCLA's moribund football program. The Bruins open the season at California on Saturday.

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