Photos by L.G. Patterson
Laird Veatch is a Midwest guy. This is how he describes himself in mid-July while sitting in his new office, which still needs a bit of décor. But if the lack of office decoration says anything, it’s not that he isn’t planning to stay, it’s that he’s been busy.
When news broke in April of Veatch’s arrival in Columbia, he was quoted numerous times saying that this town is his “forever home,” indicating he plans on being at the University of Missouri for a long time. “This is the job that I’ve been working towards for my whole career. And I want to, particularly at this point in my life, I want to be at a place where I can really see it through for the long haul and really try to help be part of building that sustained success over time,” Veatch says. “You get to a point where you don’t want to just jump and build, you want to be a part of something for more than a year. And then, there are the types of relationships and friendships that are built on that, to the point where you want those to be able to sustain so I can enjoy those for many years to come and not just pick up and move again.”
Laird began his journey in college athletics as a student-athlete on the football team at Kansas State University. He was one of five hometown recruits for the university (Veatch’s other option came down to Mizzou), where he succeeded as a linebacker and captain under College Football Hall of Fame Coach Bill Snyder, where he was part of Snyder’s first full recruiting class. “People always ask ‘What was it like to play for Coach Snyder?’ I say, ‘Very hard.’” From Kansas State, Veatch went to the University of Texas as a graduate assistant for the Longhorns and began building his career.
Texas paved the way for his first time working in Mizzou Athletics from 1997-2002. At the helm for most of Veatch’s time at Mizzou was previous Athletic Director Mike Alden, making Veatch one of “Alden’s Army” — a moniker for the numerous individuals who worked under Alden and have gone on to work in prominent leadership positions in college athletics administration throughout the U.S. “Mike is unquestionably a big influence and mentor,” Veatch says. “I tell people that he’s the best teacher that I think I’ve ever had. He was very, very intentional. I think one of the reasons why you see so many of us in this profession that have had some success at other places, he was very intentional about teaching us the fundamentals of being an athletic director. It was about the business.
And he really did an amazing job of including us at young ages and high-level decisions, issues and projects. We had kind of frontline exposure to the hiring process for major hires or the big facility projects and other things that were happening. He was really intentional about that. It really meant a lot to him to do that, and I think that intentionality really, really paid off.” It’s difficult to count just how many of those under Alden’s wing went on to different institutions throughout the country and into positions in administration in college athletics. Alden held the position of Mizzou’s athletic director for 17 years before stepping down in 2015, the second longest tenure in the position. “We have been blessed to always be surrounded with amazing people at Mizzou.
The experiences all of us had from the beginning of our work together prepared folks to accomplish great things in our profession,” Alden says. “It says something about our university and certainly, those people like Laird that all of our collective work at our institution provided great opportunities for many of our ‘team’ throughout the country. “I’m not sure you could have predicted that so many people from Mizzou would impact so many programs in college athletics … but it’s pretty cool to see many of those successes lead right back to Mizzou.”
Mentorship has turned into friendship over the years for Alden and Veatch. With Veatch back in town, the two meet for coffee and the discussions are always rewarding. “He’s a great listener, is professional and shows genuine interest in people,” Alden says. “We talk about lots of things both personally and professionally. I can tell you that during our time together, Laird provides me with confidence, perspective and support … I hope Laird might be able to say the same about me.”
After his time under Alden, he spent a quick year at Iowa State, where one night a bit of trouble ensued between the Cyclones and, ironically, the Mizzou Tigers basketball teams. Mizzou beat the Cyclones, an after party started with college students in which the Cyclones’ head coach, Larry Eustachy, attended. Photos emerged. Veatch dealt with the scandal, then moved to work for Learfield from 2003-2010, first as the general manager of Mizzou Sports Properties and then as vice president for Learfield in Missouri. Roger Gardner, who was a Learfield partner, executive vice president and chief culture and communications officer of the company, knew Veatch first from when he worked at Mizzou, then grew much closer with him during his time at Learfield.
“I think the world of him,” Gardner says. “I think he’s a first-rate person, first of all, but then beyond that he has got a significant interest and devotion to college athletics, because that was his experience as a student-athlete.” It was clear to his superiors that during his time at Learfield, Veatch not only took pride in his work but served as a leader and mentor to those who he worked closely with and reported to him.
All his time spent managing others contributes to what Clyde Lear, co-founder and previous owner of Learfield, sees him bringing to the position. “He is a leader in his own right, and I think anybody — a coach or other administrators, and even students — will look at him and say, ‘Gosh, when I grow up, I want to be just like he is. I want to be like Laird Veatch.’ And you couldn’t find anybody better to want to emulate than this young man. He’s a good leader. He’s thoughtful. He thinks big. He’ll come up with some great ideas, and if you have an idea, take it to him, he’ll run with it if it’s a good one.”
Learfield then led to opportunities at his alma mater, Kansas State, the University of Florida and then the University of Memphis as the Tigers’ athletic director, where his impact is resounding. According to his Mizzou online bio, he directed facility projects and improvements for tennis and football, as well as a nutrition center and an Olympic sports weight room. If this was not enough, Veatch most likely will be remembered for striking a major deal. He took an inventive approach to the NCAA’s Name, Image, Likeness policy for his Division 1 Memphis student-athletes.
He worked with FedEx Corp. to initiate the company’s commitment of $5 million per year for five years for the student-athletes to capitalize on. A highly innovative approach to the NCAA’s relatively new policy. There’s no doubt that Veatch works for his student-athletes and their wellbeing, placing them at the forefront of everything he sets out to accomplish.
The NIL deal could have made his life at Memphis comfortable with what seemed to be an inevitable extension as he was reaching the end of his five-year contract in September. “It was a lot, a lot of fun helping put that together. It certainly will really help them competitively,” Veatch says. “But there’s always demand in this profession, even from one thing to the next.” So, when Mizzou’s athletic director position opened, the potential move from the American Athletic Conference to the dominant Southeastern Conference wasn’t a question.
“There’s so many more advantages than disadvantages at a place like this,” Veatch says. “And being in other places, and throughout my career and other conferences and levels and schools, you get a real appreciation for what an SEC school that is in a big state, that is so widely supported … it has such capacity. You understand what can be.” The Mizzou Tigers football team leads off the 2024 season from a commanding 2023 regular season and a 14-3 Cotton Bowl win, finishing the year eighth in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches’ poll. Veatch sees his role with Coach Eliah Drinkwitz and every sport’s coach as one of support, where he “facilitates the role of great coaches” since they are “the ones that drive success and make the difference.”
A major change impacting NCAA student-athletes, as well as high school students looking to sign with university athletics programs, are name, image, likeness rules and laws being instituted in universities and states across the U.S. These open the floodgates for any student-athlete’s ability to use their name, image, likeness for earning benefits or money. In the era of social media, this can mean thousands of dollars’ worth of endorsements for student-athletes, who prior to 2021 had to rely on scholarships, grants, federal assistance, families or their own money to attend and play at the postsecondary level.
Effective as of Aug. 28, 2023, a revision to Section 173.280 of the Missouri law opened NIL to high school student-athletes as well, beginning as soon as they sign a letter of intent with a public university in Missouri. The revision states, “Compensation of studentathletes permitted, when — definitions — grant-in aid or stipend eligibility not impacted, when — contracts for compensation prohibited, when — educational workshops, purpose — civil action, when — applicability.” The law goes on to state, “(2) No postsecondary educational institution shall interfere with or prevent a student from fully participating in intercollegiate athletics or obtaining professional representation in relation to contracts or legal matters relating to earning compensation as a result of the use of the student athlete’s name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation, including, but not limited to, representation provided by athlete agents, financial advisors, or legal representation provided by attorneys.”
Missouri’s law is progressive and will shape how other states and universities approach discussions in forming rules and laws for their student-athletes. NIL also positions Mizzou in an opportune position for recruiting, and Veatch believes it’s already had an impact for football recruitment. “I’m sure it has, not just because there’s the NIL support that’s there, that’s certainly a big party of it, absolutely. But also, because now we have, I believe, a reputation here and in the student-athlete recruiting world that it is such a well-run operation. I think that helps that they know exactly what is expected of them as student-athletes and what they perform, but also how the other compensation works, etc. It’s just a really good system.”
As though a testament to this, within a week this July, Mizzou football landed five recruits for the class of 2025, four of which are four-star commits. Additionally, student-athletes who might not live in a state with laws nearly as flexible when it comes to NIL now can consider the transfer portal. Earlier this summer, the NCAA proposed a nearly $3 billion settlement over three class-action lawsuits, known as House v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA and Carter v. NCAA.
With the settlement, previous Division 1 student-athletes dating back to 2016 will receive payment from their universities having used their name, image and likeness during their time in athletics, according to the New York Times. The NCAA also will present an optional revenue-sharing model for student-athletes and their universities where 22 percent of power conference schools’ revenue, roughly $20 million, would be directly paid to student-athletes. “A big part of that is Coach Drink really has a very good handle on this new era and how to recruit in the new era, how to utilize the NIL opportunities there the right way and that’s key also. But we’re going to continue to see dramatic change whether it’s through the House settlement or both,” Veatch says.
The college athletics landscape is changing, with numerous opportunities and challenges ahead. Veatch’s extensive experience in handling both have prepared him for what’s to come. “The hurdles and opportunities Laird may see at Mizzou are similar to what leaders throughout college athletics are facing,” Alden says. “This may be one of the most uncertain and ‘fluid’ times in the industry in the last 50 years. “The difference for us is Laird is not only prepared for the future of Tiger Athletics and college athletics, he is overprepared. We have to be reminded Laird has worked at some incredible programs in the country and has learned from nationally recognized leaders in college athletics. He has an outstanding skill set that has been developed and ‘sharpened’ consistently over the past 25 years.”
Veatch’s versatile skill set is also one he’s leaning on when it comes to attending games and Mizzou fan loyalty. To pack Memorial Stadium, Hearnes Center and Mizzou Arena in a year where a team is seeing less success is difficult. To Veatch, there’s one answer. “We need sustained success over a significant period of time, and that in itself will have a major impact on the culture and sustainability of a fan base,” Veatch says. “If you’re part of something like that for a long time, and it becomes part of the family experience, the student experience over many, many years, it leads to that kind of loyalty. So, that’s the honest, hard answer that you want a shorter-term fix in many respects, but the real answer is we need to have continued sustained, success.” From there Veatch states, there are ways to enhance the game day atmosphere and experience to keep fans coming back for more, year after year.
It’s also pivotal for student-athletes and fans alike to have improved facilities. It’s still early in his current Mizzou tenure for Veatch to fully see and know the “whole operation.” He needs to see game day experiences and observe the needs of each team, though some of Veatch’s plans mirror his wins at Memphis. This includes taking care of certain playing surfaces, as well as overseeing the massive $250 million expansion to Memorial Stadium’s North End Zone and Concourse. Improved facilities, sustained success, fan culture, NIL deals — these lead to more exposure for all Mizzou sports. In supporting sports outside of football and basketball, the long-term success, as well as the culture, mindset and expectation of winning, in a few teams trickles to coaches and student-athletes in others.
“That’s what you really want, you want to establish that again over a period of time to where if people know that if you’re competing at Mizzou, you’re competing to win.” Additionally, the support of university leadership is paramount to the future success of Veatch and Mizzou Athletics.
“I’m excited at how well athletics is embraced here, and that recognition of the importance of it … which is not always the case. So having leadership that understands the real value and impact to having high-performing athletics programs is important, particularly given the evolution that we’re going through currently and what we’re headed for. You need institutions and leadership to really understand and see the big picture.”
The honeymoon period of the job is over for Veatch, and the big picture is coming together in terms of Mizzou athletics. It’s clear his Columbia connections hold much respect, enthusiasm and support for him. “To be here and to see Laird, Brandy and their family in this leadership role for the University is exciting,” Alden says. “It provides us with such a source of pride and confidence seeing all of their personal and professional accomplishments and knowing they truly have a long-term commitment to the Tigers and Mizzou.” It’s been 20 years since Veatch was last in Columbia.
On a walk during the summer, close to where he was staying, Veatch realized he was on the same sidewalk where he and his wife had walked when she was pregnant, flooding him with memories. “We love the town. The quality of life here … we’ve experienced a lot of places, and it really doesn’t get better than Columbia.”
