In the News

In the high-stakes world of college athletics, your roster isn't the only thing that’s fluid—your staff is, too. A well-designed relocation policy is more than just an HR document; it’s a strategic tool for talent acquisition and retention.

If you’ve spent your career in college athletics, the level of support in the private sector might surprise you. Here is a breakdown of what a "typical" tiered relocation package looks like in 2026.

A RMC functions as a strategic partner for athletic departments, transforming the chaotic moving process into a streamlined professional transition.

For athletic departments that view talent acquisition as essential to their growth, relying on a stable partner isn't just a preference, it is a necessity. Done are the days that relocating employees must organize their entire move independently.

In the world of college athletics, coaches and administrators move frequently. One year you're celebrating a championship, the next you're packing boxes, navigating new cities, and trying to set up a new life – often with little to no institutional support. Meanwhile, just across town, corporate executives making a similar career move are often treated to a seamless, stress-free experience. They arrive, unpack, and are ready to contribute from day one, while their athletic counterparts are still wrangling with movers and searching for temporary housing. At D1.relocation, we believe it's time for college athletics to catch up. Let's look at what's considered "standard" in Corporate America, and why athletic departments and individual staff deserve the same level of care. The "Corporate Standard": A Package, Not Just a Paycheck In the Fortune 500 world, a job offer for a mid-to-senior level position almost always comes with a comprehensive relocation package. This isn't just a bonus; it's a strategic investment in talent. What Corporate Employees Expect (and Get!): Professional Moving Services : Imagine not having to pack a single box. Corporate packages typically include full-service packing, loading, shipping, and even unpacking of household goods. This often covers cars, pets, and temporary storage too. Travel & Temporary Housing : New job, new city? No problem. Companies cover flights for the employee and family, often providing 30-60 days in a corporate apartment or hotel. This gives ample time to find a permanent home without the pressure of immediate commitment. House Hunting Trips : Before the move, employees get paid trips (flights, hotel, meals) to scout new neighborhoods, tour schools, and explore potential homes. This isn't a vacation; it's a crucial part of integrating into a new community. Real Estate Support (Especially for Homeowners) : This is where it gets truly sophisticated. Guaranteed Home Buyout (GBO) : If their old home doesn't sell quickly, the company, through a relocation firm, might buy it directly. This removes enormous financial stress and allows the employee to focus on the new role. Closing Cost Assistance : Help with the thousands of dollars in fees associated with selling an old home and buying a new one. Real Estate Agent Matching : Access to vetted, top-performing agents in both locations. Spousal & Family Support : Companies recognize that a happy family equals a productive employee. They offer career counseling for spouses, help with school searches for children, and general "settling-in" services to navigate a new city. Tax Protection : Relocation benefits are taxable. Many corporate packages include a "tax gross-up," meaning the company pays the taxes on those benefits, ensuring the employee receives the full intended value. Dedicated Relocation Consultant : This is the game-changer. A single point of contact to manage all logistics, answer questions, and act as an advocate throughout the entire process. The Difference: "Talent Mobility" vs. "Good Luck!" The stark contrast lies in philosophy. Corporate America views relocation as "talent mobility" – a strategic tool to attract and retain top performers, ensuring they are productive and engaged quickly. They invest in it because they know it pays dividends. In college athletics, the prevailing approach often feels like "Here's your offer, good luck with the move!" This leaves coaches and administrators scrambling, stressed, and often financially strained, delaying their ability to fully commit to their new roles. Why Athletic Departments Need to Level Up Failing to offer comprehensive relocation support creates a significant disadvantage: Recruitment Handicap : Top coaching talent and skilled administrators will naturally gravitate towards institutions that value their well-being and make career transitions smoother. Delayed Productivity : A stressed employee focused on logistics isn't focused on strategy, recruiting, or student-athlete development. Retention Risk : If the initial move is traumatic, employees are more likely to seek another opportunity sooner. Reputation Impact : How an institution treats its staff reflects on its overall brand. D1.relocation: Bringing Corporate Excellence to College Athletics At D1.relocation, we understand the unique demands of the college athletics world, and we're bringing the best practices of corporate relocation to your sidelines. We help: Athletic Departments design competitive, compliant, and cost-effective relocation policies to attract and retain elite staff. Individual Coaches and Administrators navigate their moves with professional support, allowing them to focus on what they do best: leading student-athletes and building championship programs. It's time to retire the moving truck selfie and embrace a new era of talent mobility in college athletics. Your staff deserves the same support and seamless transition that corporate America provides. Ready to transform your athletic department's relocation strategy? Contact D1.relocation Today to Review Your Policies!

Now that the 2025 college football season is officially in the rearview mirror, we’re taking a moment to look back on a landmark year for our organization and the industry we serve. Our mission has always been to simplify the high-stakes transitions of collegiate leaders, and in 2025, that mission reached a new level of "Advocacy in Action". 2025: A Year of Exponential Growth The coaching carousel and administrative moves were more active than ever, and D1.relocation was there to manage the playbook for some of the biggest names in the business. Here is how we moved the needle last year: Elite Leadership Moves : We successfully managed the transitions of 12 Head Coaches and 5 Athletic Directors. National Reach : Our services facilitated moves for coaches, staff, and administration to 58 different schools across the country. A "Simplified" Milestone : We simplified 100 transitions in total, representing a massive 75% year-over-year increase. Client Diversity : These transitions included 54 individuals and 46 partner-driven moves, serving 73 coaches and 27 administrators. Market-Leading Growth : We welcomed 7 new partners this year—a 28% growth rate that significantly outpaces the college athletics new business average of 7%. Fiscal Responsibility : Most importantly for the departments we serve, 82% of our clients spent less than their allocated relocation allowance. Looking Ahead: Deepening the Bench for 2026 While these numbers tell a story of growth, our focus remains on the people behind the stats. Whether we are vetting local realtors, managing confidential home searches, or helping a spouse move from "unpaid project manager" to "settled and ready," D1.relocation is committed to being the industry’s premier advocate. Thank you for being part of our 2025 success. We look forward to simplifying more transitions and helping more leaders arrive ready to win on day one in 2026. - The D1.relocation Team www.d1relocation.com

D1.relocation, the industry leader in comprehensive athletic relocation, is proud to announce the appointment of Helen Williams as the company’s new Director of Client Services. This strategic hire marks a significant milestone in D1.relocation’s rapid growth and reflects a deepening of the commitment to serving coaches, administrators, and their families. Williams joins D1.relocation with a wealth of experience in coaching and administrative leadership roles at every level of college athletics. Her professional journey includes positions at a prestigious roster of Division I, II, and III institutions, including Princeton University, Wake Forest University, the US Naval Academy, the University of South Florida, Western Michigan University, Merrimack College, Lenoir-Rhyne University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Additionally, she served as a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University. Beyond her administrative tenure, Williams draws on her extensive college basketball coaching experience and her time as the founder of WeMoveCoaches.com , a company she started to address the very gaps D1.relocation solves today. Her transition into this leadership role brings a unique blend of empathy and specialized relocation expertise to the D1.relocation team. "Helen’s resume speaks for itself, but it is her personal journey that makes her the perfect advocate for our clients," said Ernest Firth III, COO. "She has relocated many times to various parts of the United States and intimately understands the challenges and stressors that come with creating a new home. By adding an industry veteran who has written the book on moving coaches, we are ensuring our clients have the most experienced support team in the business." Williams is uniquely positioned to empathize with the spouses and families who often act as the unpaid project managers of a move. Her appointment reinforces D1.relocation’s commitment to providing advocacy for the people who keep the college athletics industry moving. "Relocating isn't just about moving boxes; it's about moving a life. Having coached at every level, I know that a coach cannot be 100% focused on the roster if their home life is in chaos," said Williams. "I am thrilled to join D1.relocation during this period of immense growth. My goal is to ensure every family experiences a simplified transition, arriving ready to win on day one." For more information about D1.relocation’s services, visit www.d1relocation.com .

D1.relocation, the industry-leading relocation service for college athletics and higher education, today announced a new comprehensive partnership with the Mountain West Conference. As a core component of the partnership, D1.relocation will manage the complex logistical move of the Mountain West office headquarters from Colorado Springs, Colo., to Las Vegas, Nev. in 2026. This project highlights D1.relocation’s newly expanded operational capabilities, which include large-scale facilities movement as well as policy-writing and relocation program administration. "This partnership with the Mountain West is incredibly exciting because it spans the full spectrum of our service capabilities," said D1.relocation COO, Ernest Firth. "Not only will we be providing our personalized service to the Conference staff relocating, but we are also applying our expertise to ensure the seamless relocation of the entire conference office, ensuring the conference’s leadership can maintain focus on strategic goals during the transition." "The relocation of our Conference office and our staff is a significant undertaking, and we are committed to minimizing the disruption to our daily operations," said Gary Walenga, Mountain West CFO. "Partnering with D1.relocation ensures that the heavy inconvenience of moving offices, equipment, and personal belongings for multiple staff members will be greatly eased, allowing our leadership and employees to remain focused on supporting our institutions and student-athletes." D1.relocation provides a comprehensive, personalized service that acts as a dedicated advocate for college athletics professionals. By offering a single point of contact for everything from real estate and moving logistics to financial planning and setting up home services, D1.relocation serves as a strategic partner in recruitment and retention efforts for its 25+ institutional and conference partners. For more information, please visit www.d1relocation.com or email info@d1relocation.com .

We’ve put together this playbook to help you focus your energy and make your relocation as stress-free as possible!