Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini speaks to members of the media during a news conference at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix on June 26, 2025. Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Graham Rossini Discusses Football Program

Originally posted on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI
By Kevin Hicks | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Arizona State athletics - particularly the football program - have taken a major stride forward ever since the transition from former AD Ray Anderson to current AD Graham Rossini was completed last May.

Rossini has worked tirelessly with Kenny Dillingham and other coaches to improve the NIL sphere in their respective programs, while also initiating bold projects pertaining to various Sun Devil facilities.

Perhaps the most vital piece of Rossini's tenure has been his work in improving the fan experience - that has become evident in developments that have come about in the last calendar year, with the AD documenting some major tidbits when talking to media on Thursday.

Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rossini alluded to the fact that football season tickets were renewed at a 96% rate, while also adding 7,500 new tickets to the season package.

Mountain America Stadium will very likely be very close to being sold out throughout the seven-game home schedule - if not completely sold out. Games against Texas Christian and Texas Tech will likely bear the best crowds that Tempe has seen in at least six years.

Fan experience has been a top priority once again in 2025 following a year of stressing the importance since taking over as AD - "Value and affordability for a family coming in, a lot of really kind of creative and exciting food and beverage throughout the entire stadium."

This follows Rossini negotiating a reduced rate when it came to accessing the parking garage from across the street of Mountain America Stadium - parking is now a flat rate of $20. Rossini also worked with local companies to find creative ways to improve the concession experience for visiting fans - while also finding NIL applications in the midst of the various creative endeavors.

Rossini previously stated that the program was able to raise $1.5 million in a matter of days to upgrade the football weight room, and that the program was around 40% of the way into raising the funds needed to begin construction on the indoor practice facility that has been discussed in recent weeks.

Rossini has rapidly become one of the best AD's in the nation - and has certainly utilized his intuitive nature to his advantage, becoming a favorite of Sun Devil fans in the process.

Read ASU on SI's exclusive interview with Jordyn Tyson here, and on where Sam Leavitt lands on the NIL merchandise sales leaderboard here.

This article first appeared on Arizona State Sun Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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