New AD Roger Denny reveals a unique strategy to boost the Oklahoma Sooners' athletics funding, partnering with university advancement to tackle facility upgrades and the NIL era
NORMAN, Okla. - In a packed introductory press conference at the University of Oklahoma on January 28, 2026, Roger Denny was officially unveiled as the Sooners' new athletic director, succeeding the long-tenured Joe Castiglione.
Denny, a seasoned professional with deep roots in college athletics administration, addressed a room full of media, alumni, and university stakeholders, laying out his vision for the program.
While his appointment brings a wealth of experience in contract negotiations and collective bargaining, questions lingered about how his legal-heavy background would translate to the critical task of fundraising in an era dominated by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and escalating facility demands.
Denny's career trajectory has been firmly planted on the operational and legal side of athletic departments. Prior to joining OU, he held key roles at various institutions, focusing on compliance, labor relations, and navigating the complexities of NCAA regulations. This expertise in collective bargaining has been invaluable in an age where athlete compensation and unionization talks are heating up. However, as previously noted, it doesn't immediately scream "fundraising guru."
OU already boasts a robust in-house legal team, raising eyebrows about whether Denny's skill set overlaps too much with existing resources. Moreover, unlike predecessors or peers such as Zac Selmon at Mississippi State—who had direct alumni ties—Denny lacks personal connections to the university, which could theoretically complicate efforts to energize donors and secure commitments.
Yet, Denny wasted no time in tackling these perceptions head-on, dedicating a significant portion of his remarks to his fundraising gameplan. In the NIL landscape, where programs must compete not just on the field but in the donor arena, fundraising stands as one of the most pivotal aspects of an AD's role—second perhaps only to hiring top-tier coaches.
Denny highlighted the urgency, pointing to ongoing projects like completing renovations to Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, and whatever comes of a future venue for basketball.
"These aren't just buildings; they're investments in excellence," he said, underscoring how financial influxes will fuel OU's ambitions in the SEC and beyond.
Central to Denny's strategy is a collaborative model unique to OU. Unlike some programs where the athletic department handles fundraising independently, Denny will partner closely with the university's central advancement unit.
"You guys have heard me use the word partnership over and over," Denny remarked during the presser. "The model here’s a little bit different."
At the heart of this partnership is Amy Noah, the vice president and chief advancement officer of the University of Oklahoma Foundation. This organization oversees philanthropic gifts across the entire university, including athletics, managing endowments and donations that have historically propelled OU's programs forward.
Denny emphasized the need for alignment before launching any major campaigns.
"It’s working with Amy and that team to make sure that everyone understands what our needs are," he explained. He stressed the importance of precise communication, warning against generic appeals.
"Once we go out and start sharing what those needs are, what we’ve talked about a lot, what I’ve experienced around college athletics is, we’ve got to use the right language when we’re talking to folks."
In Denny's view, simply stating dollar figures or project details isn't sufficient in today's competitive environment. Instead, Denny advocates for a narrative-driven approach that frames donations as high-impact investments with tangible returns—not in financial profits, but in community and institutional uplift.
"If we’re going to them and only telling them how much we need and what we’re going to use it for, that’s not enough," Denny said. "That’s not going to be effective at the level we need it to be. So we now have to go tack on the back end of that what the return on investment is going to be. And it’s not the same ROI that they get as business owners and executives and whatnot. But it is the impact on a community and a university that they care deeply about."
This philosophy reflects Denny's belief that donors, many of whom are successful business leaders and passionate Sooners fans, respond best to stories of transformation. For instance, funds could enable NIL collectives to attract elite recruits, turning potential into championships, or upgrade facilities to enhance fan experiences and athlete development.
Denny drew from his broader experiences in college athletics, noting how similar strategies have succeeded elsewhere by humanizing the ask—connecting dollars to scholarships, community outreach, and legacy-building.
Looking ahead, Denny was candid about the scale of the challenge. "If we can’t adequately get them to understand that impact, then we’re not going to be able to raise the dollars that we need to," he stated.
"And make no mistake, we’re going to need a lot of those dollars as we move forward."
With OU navigating the high-stakes SEC conference, where schools like Texas and Texas A&M boast massive war chests, Denny's success in this area could define his tenure.
He plans to kick off initiatives soon, including targeted outreach to alumni networks and corporate partners, while leveraging OU's storied history—from seven national football titles to basketball's Final Four runs—to inspire giving.
The press conference wrapped with optimism, as Denny fielded questions on everything from coaching stability to NIL compliance. While his legal acumen will undoubtedly fortify OU's administrative backbone, it's his ability to adapt and innovate in fundraising that will be under the microscope.
With partnerships like the one with Noah's team in place, and a clear focus on impact over mere transactions, Denny aims to usher in a new era of financial prosperity for Sooner athletics.
Only time will tell if his strategy pays off, but the foundation he's building suggests a proactive, collaborative path forward.