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Michigan State’s new athletic director, Jason "J" Batt, arrives at a transformative time in college sports, and with a number of challenges to resurrect the Spartans into one of the nation’s elite programs.
MSU made the hiring of the 43-year-old away from Georgia Tech official Monday, June 2. Batt will be formally introduced in East Lansing with a news conference Wednesday, June 4.
“J has an impressive record at several Power 5 schools and an impeccable reputation as a strong and innovative leader,” MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement. “He will bring experience, excitement and a commitment to elevating Spartan athletics to the next level. We are thrilled to have J join our leadership team at Michigan State.”
Batt's first day of work will be the week of June 16. He also was appointed chairman of the College Football Hall of Fame in November.
“This is truly an amazing opportunity to lead an outstanding, tradition-rich and passionate program, and I am grateful to President Guskiewicz and the Board of Trustees for the opportunity,” Batt said in a statement. “Working together, in alignment with university leadership, the full athletics department and an enthusiastic fan base, we can take the positive momentum already happening at MSU and reach new levels of success as we move into the next era of intercollegiate athletics. My family and I look forward to joining the Michigan State and East Lansing communities.”
The school did not immediately release terms of the deal, but a source told the Free Press on Sunday night as it was being finalized that Batt will make around $1.8 million annually in base pay, and ESPN reported it is a six-year contract that would run through 2031. MSU also will pay Georgia Tech nearly $2 million to buy out the remainder of the contract he signed in December that runs through 2029, per a source.
Batt is the first athletic director MSU has hired without previous ties to the school since 1995, and the first since 1992 with previous experience running a college athletic program. Merritt Norvell (1995-99) did not have connections to MSU but had been in the private business sector before the school hired him. His predecessor, Merrily Dean Baker (1992-95), is the only person the school hired in the past 35 years with previous experience as an athletic director.
Alan Haller, a former Spartans football and track athlete, rose from MSU Police Department lieutenant through the athletic department before taking over as athletic director Sept. 1, 2021, for Bill Beekman (a career university administrator who had no experience in athletics). Before Beekman, Mark Hollis ascended through the department to lead it for a decade before resigning in 2018. His predecessor, Ron Mason, had been MSU’s hockey coach prior taking over in 2002 for Clarence Underwood, another longtime athletic department employee who replaced Norvell. Prior to Norvell and Baker, George Perles infamously served as both football coach and athletic director from 1990-92.
The hiring of Batt comes at a pivotal point, with revenue sharing between schools and athletes expected to kick in July 1. It also is a critical juncture for athletic departments around the country to find funding for internal improvement efforts while also navigating and working with donors to craft strong name, image and likeness programs to entice prospective athletes.
MSU targeted Batt due to the ability the North Carolina alum and former Tar Heels soccer player displayed as a fundraiser at Georgia Tech, as well as other stops he has made during his career.
“This is a key moment in the history of Michigan State Athletics,” MSU men's head coach Tom Izzo said in a statement. “With J Batt's hiring, President Kevin Guskiewicz has found the right person to lead our department as college athletics continues to evolve. J has displayed tremendous innovation as a leader and has a proven track record of revenue generation.”
Izzo and Jen Smith, MSU's deputy athletic director, served as co-interim athletic directors after the school parted ways with Haller on May 1.
Prior to taking the top position at Georgia Tech, Batt worked at Alabama (2017-22) as executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer. He also was senior associate athletic director and executive director of the Pirate Club at East Carolina University (2013-17) and worked in fundraising at Maryland, James Madison, William & Mary and his alma mater.
In his time in Atlanta, Batt helped generate nearly $300 million toward a $500 million "Full Steam Ahead" fundraising effort that began after he was hired in October 2022. That will go toward renovating Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, which is the Yellow Jackets' home football stadium, along with improvements to the school's basketball center and volleyball gymnasium.
Previously, Batt served as executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer at Alabama over five years (2017-22). In 2021, he was named to the Sports Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" list for helping spearhead a 10-year, $600 million fundraising effort to improve facilities in Tuscaloosa.
In December, MSU approved a three-phase plan to modernize Spartan Stadium, home of the football team. That includes $28 million in improvements as well as "an authorization to plan for the future modernization of the stadium."
Batt − who was born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia − was on the men's soccer team at North Carolina during its 2001 NCAA championship season and earned an undergraduate degree in journalism and mass communications and later a master's degree in sports administration from the school. He and his wife, Leah, have two sons.
Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.
Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State officially hires J Batt as athletic director
Continue reading...
MSU made the hiring of the 43-year-old away from Georgia Tech official Monday, June 2. Batt will be formally introduced in East Lansing with a news conference Wednesday, June 4.
“J has an impressive record at several Power 5 schools and an impeccable reputation as a strong and innovative leader,” MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz said in a statement. “He will bring experience, excitement and a commitment to elevating Spartan athletics to the next level. We are thrilled to have J join our leadership team at Michigan State.”
Batt's first day of work will be the week of June 16. He also was appointed chairman of the College Football Hall of Fame in November.
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“This is truly an amazing opportunity to lead an outstanding, tradition-rich and passionate program, and I am grateful to President Guskiewicz and the Board of Trustees for the opportunity,” Batt said in a statement. “Working together, in alignment with university leadership, the full athletics department and an enthusiastic fan base, we can take the positive momentum already happening at MSU and reach new levels of success as we move into the next era of intercollegiate athletics. My family and I look forward to joining the Michigan State and East Lansing communities.”
The school did not immediately release terms of the deal, but a source told the Free Press on Sunday night as it was being finalized that Batt will make around $1.8 million annually in base pay, and ESPN reported it is a six-year contract that would run through 2031. MSU also will pay Georgia Tech nearly $2 million to buy out the remainder of the contract he signed in December that runs through 2029, per a source.
Batt is the first athletic director MSU has hired without previous ties to the school since 1995, and the first since 1992 with previous experience running a college athletic program. Merritt Norvell (1995-99) did not have connections to MSU but had been in the private business sector before the school hired him. His predecessor, Merrily Dean Baker (1992-95), is the only person the school hired in the past 35 years with previous experience as an athletic director.
Alan Haller, a former Spartans football and track athlete, rose from MSU Police Department lieutenant through the athletic department before taking over as athletic director Sept. 1, 2021, for Bill Beekman (a career university administrator who had no experience in athletics). Before Beekman, Mark Hollis ascended through the department to lead it for a decade before resigning in 2018. His predecessor, Ron Mason, had been MSU’s hockey coach prior taking over in 2002 for Clarence Underwood, another longtime athletic department employee who replaced Norvell. Prior to Norvell and Baker, George Perles infamously served as both football coach and athletic director from 1990-92.
The hiring of Batt comes at a pivotal point, with revenue sharing between schools and athletes expected to kick in July 1. It also is a critical juncture for athletic departments around the country to find funding for internal improvement efforts while also navigating and working with donors to craft strong name, image and likeness programs to entice prospective athletes.
MSU targeted Batt due to the ability the North Carolina alum and former Tar Heels soccer player displayed as a fundraiser at Georgia Tech, as well as other stops he has made during his career.
“This is a key moment in the history of Michigan State Athletics,” MSU men's head coach Tom Izzo said in a statement. “With J Batt's hiring, President Kevin Guskiewicz has found the right person to lead our department as college athletics continues to evolve. J has displayed tremendous innovation as a leader and has a proven track record of revenue generation.”
Izzo and Jen Smith, MSU's deputy athletic director, served as co-interim athletic directors after the school parted ways with Haller on May 1.
Prior to taking the top position at Georgia Tech, Batt worked at Alabama (2017-22) as executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer. He also was senior associate athletic director and executive director of the Pirate Club at East Carolina University (2013-17) and worked in fundraising at Maryland, James Madison, William & Mary and his alma mater.
In his time in Atlanta, Batt helped generate nearly $300 million toward a $500 million "Full Steam Ahead" fundraising effort that began after he was hired in October 2022. That will go toward renovating Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, which is the Yellow Jackets' home football stadium, along with improvements to the school's basketball center and volleyball gymnasium.
Previously, Batt served as executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer and chief revenue officer at Alabama over five years (2017-22). In 2021, he was named to the Sports Business Journal's "Forty Under 40" list for helping spearhead a 10-year, $600 million fundraising effort to improve facilities in Tuscaloosa.
In December, MSU approved a three-phase plan to modernize Spartan Stadium, home of the football team. That includes $28 million in improvements as well as "an authorization to plan for the future modernization of the stadium."
Batt − who was born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia − was on the men's soccer team at North Carolina during its 2001 NCAA championship season and earned an undergraduate degree in journalism and mass communications and later a master's degree in sports administration from the school. He and his wife, Leah, have two sons.
Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.
Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State officially hires J Batt as athletic director
Continue reading...
