Rick Barakat - Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Revenue Officer - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Rick Barakat

Title:
Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Revenue Officer
Email:
Phone:
919-962-6000

Rick Barakat joined the UNC Department of Athletics in March of 2025 and serves as deputy athletics director and chief revenue officer. In this role, Barakat, a Carolina graduate, is responsible for overseeing revenue generation operations and maximizing revenue growth opportunities for Carolina Athletics. He works with the university, The Rams Club, department units and other partners to set and implement revenue strategy and goals, and identify new revenue opportunities while optimizing those already in place. He also serves on athletic director Bubba Cunningham's executive leadership team.

Barakat is a veteran sales strategy leader and revenue generation expert who has worked for more than 25 years working with collegiate rightsholders, media companies, agencies and start-ups. Prior to joining UNC, he spent 3 years at Diamond Baseball Holdings, an organization that owns and operates select minor league clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB). While the DBH portfolio grew to over 40 MiLB clubs, Barakat led business development efforts including several key revenue verticals and strategic partnerships across the company, including launching the MiLB Consumer Products Licensing partnership with MLB.

Prior to his time at DBH, Barakat spent almost 20 years in the collegiate rightsholder space working for leading companies such as ISP Sports, IMG College and LEARFIELD throughout his long and successful tenure. While navigating through acquisitions and mergers, Barakat moved from a VP & General Manager at Virginia Tech to serving as an EVP in various corporate capacities overseeing sales strategy, product innovation, media, digital and business development functions.

In the years prior, Barakat worked at GMR Marketing and Raycom Sports in Charlotte, N.C., selling and activating brand-based collegiate sponsorships, promotions and broadcast media packages.

Barakat grew up in Greensboro and is a proud alumnus of UNC with a bachelor of science degree in business administration from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business. Barakat also earned a masters of education in sports management at the University of Georgia. He and his wife Alison have two daughters, Jordan and Mallory, and reside in Chapel Hill.