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LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 24, 2025) — With a charge to continue to be one of the country’s top programs, University of Kentucky Athletics may soon reside in a holding company.

This new model — perhaps the first of its kind in the country among major programs — is designed to increase flexibility and enable the department to continue as one of the best in the country by finding new opportunities to generate additional revenue and more efficiently manage expenses.

That’s the proposal being considered today and tomorrow by the UK Board of Trustees. If adopted, the entire UK Athletics Department would be shifted to a limited liability or holding company being created called Champions Blue, LLC.

The UK Athletics Committee is discussing the proposed opportunity this afternoon. The full UK Board of Trustees will consider the move at its meeting Friday.

The strategy will provide the department with the flexibility to unlock new revenue streams through public-private partnerships and potentially other transactions, such as real estate.

The holding company structure is similar to how UK in recent years has acquired two major community hospitals — King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Kentucky, and St. Claire Healthcare in Morehead, Kentucky. Both hospital systems are within similarly structured holding companies that, ultimately, report to the University and its Board of Trustees.

A new governance board, composed of UK officials and outside expertise from business and the professional sports world, will provide the new holding company and athletics officials with strategic guidance and counsel. Both hospital systems in this holding company model are experiencing growth in jobs, stronger bottom lines and improvements and expansion to important capital infrastructure.

“We believe this is an innovative approach — a new structure and governance model that thoughtfully contemplates how we strengthen Athletics, protect and promote the University and open up new opportunities for growth,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “It’s a foundation and model that we are calling Champions Blue. Athletics and its success have always been the result of an incredible and productive partnership with campus. It will continue to be in the future — if we seize the opportunities in front of us to meet the challenges that lie ahead.”

Under the proposal, the department will shift to Champions Blue, which the Board is being asked to direct the University to incorporate.
           
The Champions Blue Board, a public entity, will meet regularly to advise President Capilouto and UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart on strategic directions and opportunities for revenue growth. Opportunities could include developments such as expanded premium seating and fan amenities in Kroger Field or public-private partnerships to develop revenue-generating ventures.

This potential move comes as intercollegiate athletics is undergoing unprecedented changes. Over the last 15 years, college athletics has moved toward a model where student athletes may be compensated by monetizing their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).

A federal judge in the coming weeks is expected to approve an overarching settlement. The House Settlement will create the rules and terms for how participating Division I departments can share revenue with student athletes, manage rosters and scholarships and continue to allow players on teams to seek NIL deals. These moves will add millions more each year to the expenses of intercollegiate programs.

During the recently completed Kentucky General Assembly session, lawmakers in both the House and Senate unanimously adopted legislation, designed to allow UK and other programs in the state to implement the federal settlement, if and when it is adopted. The effort was led by Senate Majority Leader Max Wise.

The changing landscape, and approaching settlement, prompted Barnhart, Capilouto and other UK officials to begin planning for how the athletics program cannot simply survive in this new era but find ways to thrive.

“Our mission remains the same: to put championship rings on fingers and diplomas in hands,” said Barnhart, who is currently sitting on the national implementation committee determining how the new settlement, if adopted, will be implemented across the country.

“But how we accomplish that goal — how we finance our teams, protect our future and support our student athletes — will have to change. That’s what this new model represents — an understanding that in the market we are in that we have to be creative. We have to find new ways to generate revenue, manage expenses and think about opportunities to grow. I am excited about what the future holds, through even greater collaboration with the University as we partner together to continue UK Athletics as such an important part of the mission of the University of Kentucky.”

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 17, 2025) — The University of Kentucky was ranked in the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2024 by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

The report uses data provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and highlights the vital role patents play in university research and innovation. 

Published annually since 2013, the report ranks the top 100 universities holding U.S. utility patents, which protect the way an invention is used and works, in the 2024 calendar year. The full report can be found here.

A member institution of the NAI, UK ranked No. 64, with 32 U.S. utility patents granted in 2024. UK filed 162 international and domestic patent applications and held 675 patent assets in fiscal year 2024.

“The University of Kentucky’s continued inclusion among the top 100 global universities for innovation underscores UK’s leadership as a catalyst for research, discovery and real-world impact”, said Matthew Upton, director of Technology Commercialization, UK Innovate. “This prestigious recognition reflects the relentless drive of our researchers to push the boundaries of knowledge and translate their work into meaningful innovation. Their commitment to advancing science and improving lives, both locally and globally, is what makes this achievement possible.”

To search available technologies, visit their site.

“In the ever-evolving innovation landscape, it is imperative that the U.S. is remaining competitive and at the forefront of today’s emerging research and technologies,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “Ensuring the security of intellectual property through patenting is a crucial component to this and allows those innovations to be effectively moved to market where they can create valuable societal and economic impact. The Top 100 U.S. list celebrates U.S. universities and their inventive staff and faculty for their dedication in ensuring their innovations and IP are protected.”

About the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with more than 4,600 individual inventor members and fellows spanning more than 260 institutions. It was founded in 2010 to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. The academy and the USPTO have enjoyed a collaborative partnership since the founding of NAI. Most recently this has been reflected in their joint mission to expand access to the innovation ecosystem through a focus on actively valuing and leveraging every individual’s unique perspectives, talents and contributions. www.academyofinventors.org 

About UK Innovate
UK Innovate at the University of Kentucky drives economic, societal and entrepreneurial growth from research discoveries. Through technology commercialization, health care innovations, corporate partnerships, social innovation and economic development, UK Innovate helps researchers and entrepreneurs across UK Research and UK HealthCare accelerate their ideas into use. By connecting talent, research, corporate partners and community resources, UK Innovate works to move ideas into the world faster, where they can make the greatest societal and economic impact possible. Learn more: www.research.uky.edu/ukinnovate.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 26, 2025) — The presidents of Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky on Wednesday announced an alliance between the two historic institutions to work together on programs and initiatives that will advance the health and well-being of their students and the state.

Transylvania is the first educational partner in the Advancing Kentucky Together Network — an initiative UK announced in October at the direction of its Board of Trustees to work with partners to be the institution that does more than any other in the country to advance the health of the state it serves.

“We exist to serve Kentucky. That has been our mission for 160 years. Now, we are meeting that mission more and more with partners, who share our values and our commitment to progress in advancing the health, education and economy of Kentucky,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “Today, we are formally joining with Transylvania University, an outstanding institution with nearly 250 years of history, in the shared goal and common commitment to meet the workforce needs of our state and, together, to make our home community of Lexington an even stronger and more vibrant community in which to live.”

"As Kentucky's first university, Transylvania is proud to be the inaugural academic partner in the Advancing Kentucky Together Network,” said Transylvania President Brien Lewis. “This collaboration with the University of Kentucky builds on our long history together and positions us to play a critical role in driving Kentucky forward. Transylvania's partnership with UK in this new network signifies a powerful step for Kentucky's educational future. Together, we'll develop the next generation of leaders, ensuring our students are ready to excel in vital fields."

A memorandum of understanding signed by the two presidents Wednesday morning broadly outlines some of the initiatives the two institutions will jointly pursue. Already, teams of officials at both universities are working on projects including:

• Enabling Transylvania students to seamlessly move from their undergraduate studies into a master’s degree program in the UK College of Public Health.
• Exploring potential outreach efforts in the Fayette County Public Schools.
• Collaborating on education abroad and internship opportunities.
• Sharing information through the institutions’ human resources areas around technology for employee onboarding and training and hiring needs.

The two universities already have a long history of partnership in business, engineering and health care education. An Early Assurance Program helps Transylvania students receive an early acceptance into the UK College of Medicine. Transylvania also partners with UK on a pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program.

But Lewis and Capilouto said this new agreement reinforces the idea that more can and should be done by the two institutions, working together, to advance the overall health of the state. 

Although the state is experiencing significant economic growth and job opportunities, critical shortages exist in a number of areas, including health care. 

UK HealthCare alone projects needing an additional 5,000 health professionals over the next decade to meet growing health needs. Many counties and communities throughout the state lack access to primary care physicians and other health services.

“We believe we are better together,” Capilouto said. “And our communities and the state we serve will be healthier, wealthier and wiser because of our collaboration and partnership.”

"Ultimately, this is about empowering our students and strengthening our community,”  Lewis added. “By combining Transylvania's liberal arts foundation with UK's research and professional programs, we're creating unparalleled opportunities for our students, and enriching the entire Commonwealth with a highly skilled and innovative workforce.”

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.