NCAA Managing Dir for Championships & Alliances DAMANI LEECH "will resign" at the end of the month to become NFL VP/Media Strategy & Business Development, according to Steven Pivovar of the OMAHA WORLD-HERALD. Leech, a member of SBD/SBJ's Forty Under 40 Class in '14, said, "During the course of my work with the NCAA, I’ve developed a relationship with the NFL. They reached out to me and said they thought I would be a good fit." He said he initially "didn’t think it would be something that would intrigue me." Leech: "But the more I looked into it, it ended up being one of those opportunities that was too good to pass up." He added that he "will work within the league’s football operations group and serve as a bridge to its other business units." Pivovar reports Leech’s 17-year tenure at the NCAA "included a dozen years of association" with the College World Series, and his current duties "included directing" the event. He served a decade as CWS Dir DENNIS POPPE's "top lieutenant before taking over" in '14 when Poppe retired. Leech said, "I don’t know who will succeed me, but one of the things I know will be considered in the transition is to make sure the College World Series has someone in a leadership position that understands it. And someone that can help it improve" (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 10/7).
