BREAKING: UCLA AD Jarmond fired, replaced by former Lakers executive

The Martin Jarmond era at UCLA has come to an abrupt ending.

According to California Post senior college sports reporter Ben Bolch, the former Bruins athletic director was fired Monday afternoon, days before kickoff of a new college football season. Jarmond is immediately being replaced by former Los Angeles Lakers executive Tim Harris, who "will serve as athletic director and CEO of the athletic department on a pro bono basis effective immediately," per Bolch's exclusive report .

UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk shared the news within the university's community, which he characterized as a "new path forward for UCLA Athletics," in a written statement acquired by Bolch.

"We have all watched as the landscape of college athletics has transformed in recent years, driven by the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), new models for student-athlete compensation and a rapidly changing sports marketplace. UCLA must have an athletics model that leads — not just keeps pace," Frenk stated. "UCLA Athletics currently carries a significant financial deficit, and its current path is not sustainable. 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."

The Bruins football team starts the 2026 campaign Saturday night in Berkeley against the California Golden Bears.

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