PE forcing Utah to lay off Athletic Dept. employees

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University of Utah’s athletic department began the process to lay off select employees as part of its restructuring following the soon-to-be finalized deal with Otro Capital on Friday, a department spokesperson told The Salt Lake Tribune.

“In preparation for the growth of Crimson Brand Partners (CBP, formerly Utah Brand Initiatives),” an athletics department spokesperson said in a statement Friday evening, “The University has begun the process of transitioning select units of some University operations to the new company. The first step of that process requires the discontinuation of the individual positions in those units through a reduction in force (RIF), to be followed by CBP’s hiring process.”

The meetings were conducted today, the spokesperson said, but the official separation date will not be until June 30. “All impacted employees will have an opportunity to interview for a similar position with CBP,” the spokesperson said

In an email sent to department employees Friday and obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune, Athletic Director Mark Harlan said, “Today marked an anticipated, but still significant, day in the process of transitioning select units of the athletics department to Crimson Brand Partners, as we conducted meetings with multiple staff members in those units.”

“Each impacted employee will have the opportunity to interview for a similar position with the new company, but this is understandably an unsettling process to go through for those individuals. These are our teammates and friends, and we want to make all of you aware so you can be supportive of them during this transition.”

The select number of employees expected to be laid off and potentially rehired at Crimson Brand Partners is currently unknown, and the university spokesperson would not share a number.

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