Florida A&M announced Wednesday that director of athletics Kortne Gosha has stepped down effective immediately.
“My alignment and core values are very important to me, and there is no secret that we created a transformational student-athlete experience second to none that has elevated Florida Agricultural & Mechanical that will place them on a trajectory far beyond my tenure,” Gosha said in a statement. “I am incredibly proud of the work and the people that have done that work in such a short time. We have elevated the program and institutional reputation to a level of new credibility.”
Gosha had served in his role with Florida A&M since December 2019 and was instrumental in many changes within the Rattlers program.
In March 2021, he helped orchestrate a six-year partnership between FAMU and LeBron James in association with Nike brand.
More recently, he partnered with Twitter to introduce the first HBCU Twitter Community for Florida A&M. He also played a major role in the program moving from the MEAC to the SWAC.
Though Gosha nor FAMU officials explained what led to the change, there was a suggestion that his departure was hastened by an alleged violation of university policy.
It all dates back to a multi-year broadcast rights deal Gosha orchestrated with Urban Edge Networks in February that would feature all university-related content, as reported by the Rattler Nation Blog.
The deal was apparently struck without being reviewed by university officials or consent from Gosha’s direct supervisor. The negotiations, the website reported, violate the terms of his employment agreement.
The blog also reported that Florida A&M officials were unaware that UEN and HBCU League Pass+ entered a FAMU branded NASCAR vehicle in a Pennzoil 400 held on March 6 in Las Vegas.
Gosha did not comment on the allegations.
The SWAC notified schools, including FAMU, that they were restricted from signing individual national rights deals in linear or digital form.
SWAC institutions can broadcast on their own individual streaming networks, local television and regional television.
FAMU football coach Willie Simmons expressed gratitude to Gosha and his work in leading the athletic program.
“In all my years working in intercollegiate athletics, I’ve never witnessed someone do so much with so little in such a short amount of time,” Simmons wrote on Twitter “… Your visionary leadership matched with your genuine care for the welfare of our student-athletes makes you a generational talent as an Athletics Director!”
FAMU named Michael Smith as interim athletic director.
