TicketsSince joining the University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics in early 2022, John Daniel has had a significant impact on all aspects of the Department, serving in several executive-level positions, now as the Senior Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Operating Officer.
His areas of oversight include revenue generation, financial operations, external relations and communications, capital projects, human resources, Cincy Sports Partners (Cincinnati’s in-house sponsorship arm), NIL and revenue sharing, student-athlete roster management, contracts, and ticket sales and operations. Working closely with Director of Athletics John Cunningham, Daniel has also assisted in closing significant philanthropic and capital gifts.
Daniel operates as the administrative oversight for Cincinnati football, ushering the program from the American Athletic Conference into the Big 12 Conference. UC has improved its win total every year in the new conference, culminating with an appearance in the Top 25 and a bowl appearance in 2025.
The Baton Rouge native serves the university's administration and finance office in a dual-report role, working closely with campus financial leaders and cabinet members on developing policies and practices to position UC for continued financial stability for years to come.
He has helped lead several head coach searches at UC, including football’s hire of Scott Satterfield and men’s basketball’s recent hire of Jerrod Calhoun as well as women’s basketball, baseball, volleyball and swimming and diving.
Among the many accomplishments during his tenure is the $134 million Sheakley Athletics Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center project, which he led from planning through completion in 2025. The acclaimed facility has elevated Cincinnati Athletics' training, sports performance and nutrition facilities to the top of the Big 12 Conference. He also was integral in the launch of Cincy Sports Partners, which set sponsorship sales records in its first year of existence in 2026 and the Bearcats’ apparel transition to Nike/Jordan.
Prior to UC, Daniel was the Associate AD for Administration at LSU, where he was the sport supervisor for men's and women's swimming and diving and beach volleyball, while also managing oversight for the athletic department's IT team and special projects. He led the restructuring of the Tiger Athletic Foundation booster clubs into Excellence Funds, managed employment and third-party contracts for the department and was integral in several head coaching searches.
Before his stint at LSU, Daniel spent three years as the Associate Athletic Director for Business and Finance at TCU, where he helped overhaul the resource allocation process to align with competitiveness in the Big 12. He also implemented revenue tracking processes, oversaw the annual audit, and developed benchmark reports and policy and procedure manuals for the department.
Prior to TCU, Daniel worked at Texas A&M from 2012 to 2016, joining the Aggies the same month they joined the SEC. He led athletics procurement and managed department reporting in addition to serving as the budgeting liaison for the 12th Man Foundation. He also managed the finances for the world-class 12th Man Productions content studio as a part of the $500M Kyle Field renovation project.
Daniel spent nearly two years in the business office at the University Maryland and served as a Graduate Assistant in the business office at LSU. The former men’s basketball student manager earned his bachelor's degree in Business Management as well as a master's degree in Sports Management from LSU, and later obtained his MBA from the University of Mississippi.
He and his wife, Arleen, have twin daughters, Dorothy and Evelyn.