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Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly has transformed the conference into the first fully remote Division I league office, saving significant costs while embracing flexibility, transparency, and innovation, Hero Sports’ KC Smurthwaite observes. Butterly explains that he used the COVID disruption to rethink operations, which led to the decision to ditch office rent for digital collaboration and reallocate roughly $250K annually to enhance championships and campus experiences. Butterly: “When I came on board, we were already remote because of COVID. We never got to that five-days-a-week-in-the-office model. It started as three days in, two days remote, then one day every couple of weeks. We just kept adapting.” Staff productivity remained high, and Butterly explains: “I told the board I think we’re ready. Our staff is mature and trusted, our systems are in place, and we can save serious money. [...] Technology lets us work smarter. I see my staff all the time at championships anyway. We’re connected daily through Teams and calls. Remote doesn’t mean distant.” He sees that same adaptability as crucial for the NCAA’s next chapter, telling Smurthwaite: “Everything’s changing - NIL, employment models, media rights. But if we stay innovative, collaborative, and student-focused, college athletics will be fine.”