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Former Belt Commissioner Waters Named FBA Executive Director

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Former Belt Commissioner Waters Named FBA Executive Director

Chairman Steve Hogan, on behalf of the Football Bowl Association (FBA) and its Executive Committee, announced today the hiring of Wright Waters as the organization's first-ever Executive Director.

"Safeguarding and improving the experiences and opportunities provided to thousands of student-athletes through the bowl system will continue to be a critical focus of our association," stated Hogan, who also heads the efforts of the Capital One and Champs Sports bowls. "Wright has extensive experience in athletics administration and is capable of communicating with stakeholders throughout collegiate athletics as we navigate adjustments to college football's postseason."

The FBA is a non-profit association representing postseason college football bowl games which works to build upon the sport's rich tradition while increasing the knowledge of the bowl experience and its benefits to college football, its student-athletes and participating educational institutions. Waters, who will report to the nine-person Executive Committee, will be responsible for the overall management of the FBA in areas including finances, administration, government relations, marketing, licensing and legal. He will also serve as the spokesperson for the organization.

Waters recently completed nearly 14 years as commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference and has 40 years of experience in college athletics overall. His stops included associate commissioner and commissioner duties with the Southern Conference (1988-98) as well as administrative roles at Tulane (1984-88), Southwest Louisiana (1983-84) and Southern Mississippi (1976-79), giving him a unique perspective on the relationships between schools, conferences and television networks.

"Congratulations to both Wright and the Football Bowl Association," said NCAA President Dr. Mark Emmert. "Given Wright's long and genuine commitment to the collegiate model, this is an opportunity for the NCAA and the FBA to address a common interest in providing quality postseason experiences for student-athletes.  For more than a century, football bowls have also helped nurture the relationships between college football and communities across the nation.  That is a unique feature of the American sports culture. Wright will make great contributions in these efforts."

In his time leading the Sun Belt, the conference became a Bowl Championship Series conference, expanded to sponsor 19 sports, shifted geographically to create a more regional presence, gained a permanent seat on the NCAA Board of Directors and achieved securing the conference's most significant television agreements. He also helped found the New Orleans Bowl in 2000, a game which annually featured the Sun Belt champion versus a Conference USA participant.

Source: Sun Belt Media Relations
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