Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

A leader and innovator in the college football bowl business, Rick Baker has been a fixture on the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association staff across five decades. He first joined the staff as Director of Marketing in 1988 before being elevated to Executive Director in 1992 and his current title of President and Chief Executive Officer in 2010.
 
Baker, the dean of bowl executive directors, has guided the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic to exponential growth during his tenure. From coordinating national broadcast, conference and title sponsor partnerships to the move to AT&T Stadium to becoming a member of the College Football Playoff, he has guided the Classic to heights that were not imaginable from its 1937 origin.
 
Known for its legendary hospitality, the Cotton Bowl Classic under Baker's leadership has become one of the most revered traditions in all of college football. The Classic's annual impact on North Texas is an estimated $100 million in total economic impact, with the direct economic dollars nearly doubling since the game moved to AT&T Stadium in 2010. The 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 90th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic was his 38th Classic to work as a member of the CBAA staff.
 
Beyond the Classic, Baker has been instrumental in the creation and maturation of the Cotton Bowl Foundation and Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame. Since 2016, the Cotton Bowl Foundation has awarded more than $4 million benefiting non-profit organizations in the North Texas community. The Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame launched in 1998 and inducted its 14th class in 2025.
 
During his time with the CBAA, Baker has been a member of the host committees for Super Bowl XLV in 2011, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four in 2014, the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in 2015 and WrestleMania 32 in 2016.
 
Prior to joining the CBAA staff, Baker held athletics leadership positions at Southern Methodist University and the Southwest Conference office from 1979-88. In 1986, he served as Tournament Director for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Final Four held at Reunion Arena in Dallas.
 
Baker earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton in 1977 and a Master of Education degree from Ohio University in 1979. He completed the Sports Management Institute (SMI) Executive Program in 1991.
 
Baker was a three-year baseball letterman at Scranton. He played professional baseball and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, which included a two-year stint in their minor league system. The Millerton, Pa., native has twice been honored by Scranton, inducted into its Athletics Wall of Fame in 2001 and served a term on the university's Board of Trustees.
 
Baker and his wife Patti reside in the Dallas area with their dog, Winston.