NIL

New MSU AD J Batt outlines vision for ‘alignment,’ success

MSU’s new athletic director J Batt was introduced at a news conference on Wednesday. MSU’s new athletic director J Batt was introduced at a news conference on Wednesday. East Lansing — Michigan State’s 21st athletic director J Batt was introduced on Monday with some brief remarks and a press conference where he quickly outlined some of […]

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East Lansing — Michigan State’s 21st athletic director J Batt was introduced on Monday with some brief remarks and a press conference where he quickly outlined some of his vision for Spartan athletics.

While Batt didn’t go into great detail, he spoke of the need for the football program to be well-resourced, the athletic department to be aligned and his excitement to work with the various Michigan State coaches and staff.

He also made one idea clear: He views Michigan State as a top-tier athletic department.

“This is a Top 10 athletic department in the country,” he said.

Batt on cultivating “alignment” in department

In response to the final question, Batt says that alignment from the board, president and himself down to the fans is the biggest thing to help Michigan State navigate change going forward.

And that’s the final question for Batt, as things wrap up in East Lansing.

Batt on building up football program success

Batt was light on details about what can best support Jonathan Smith and Co. for the football program, which he said is paramount to athletic program success, but said he has already spoken to him and the general gist is it just has to be well resourced.

Whether it’s facilities, NIL, staff salary pool, recruiting budget or the like wasn’t laid out, but Batt seems hip to the idea that the Spartans football program will need to be well-resourced to compete in the Big Ten.

“Certainly haven’t dove in to exactly where that’s going to be, but at the end of the day it comes down to resources,” Batt said.

Guskiewicz on when he knew Batt was the choice

The actual deciding factor was really that Batt just ticked a lot of boxes of the leadership profile, and perhaps not one specific moment in the process. Though Guskiewicz did have some good humor about that, though.

“Just the fact that he took my call when I was told he wouldn’t,” Guskiewicz said, to laughter.

Batt on NIL being paramount to leading an athletic department

“We’re going to be extremely successful and competitive in that space,” Batt said, saying the need to get resources for programs is going to be prioritized.

He also adds that the way NIL and paying players will change as revenue sharing comes along and that they’ll need to continue to plan and act accordingly to adjust to new realities of college athletics.

Regardless, Batt is aware that to be competitive in college sports these days, the NIL efforts — and eventually revenue sharing — will need to be prioritized.

In response to a follow up, Guskiewicz points out the importance of Batt’s fundraising ability as part of leading an athletic department.

Batt on Saban, asking him about job at MSU

Batt said he didn’t necessarily speak to Saban during the process, but his previous discussions with Saban about East Lansing and MSU had painted a good picture to prime him to want to take the job.

“We’re in the opportunity business”

Batt is asked about working in an increasingly transactional world of college sports, but holds firm and refers to his original remarks about opportunity and working to make sure that keeps happening.

“We’re in the opportunity business,” Batt said.

He’s asked a follow up about non-revenue sports and their important to keep funded and thriving in a changing world of college sports.

“They’re just as important. Success across the board is the goal,” Batt said.

Batt on privilege of leading MSU into new era, enhancing Spartans standing in Big Ten

“It’s an incredible privilege,” Batt said, to begin his answer. He’s then asked about leading Michigan State to a position of more prominence in the league.

Batt’s answer to that question is generally brief, but he calls for the need to work with Pettiti and others as Michigan State navigates a new, 18-team Big Ten.

Batt begins opening remarks with thanks, importance of football success and that MSU is a “top” athletic department

“This is an incredible moment for me, my family,” Batt said, as he proceeded with the expected thank yous to various administration and staff, with a specific thank you to Izzo.

Batt goes on to discuss how the job is “all-in” and that he’s an “all-in” person, but that isn’t doable with plenty of people supporting him, as he continues to thank his wife and two sons, saying they look good in green.

Batt moves on, discussing his history as a “below average” college soccer player 25 years ago, and how that shaped his views on college athletics, and spurred him to want to work with and help college athletes benefit from opportunity he had, even as college athletics continues to change.

“I learned what it meant to be part of a team, what it meant to win at the highest level, but what it cemented for me is that college athletics is about opportunity,” Batt said.

He also said the he’s met many staff and student athletes, as well as officials with the Big Ten Conference, including commissioner Tony Pettiti. Also says the key to really making strides as a program to be working in “alignment” between administration, athletics staff, boosters and all involved.

He also added that it will require hard work.

Batt is now speaking about the need for supporting all sports, but that football success is critical and they need to provide the resources for Smith and Co. to succeed, while still providing high-level resources to the rest of the sports teams.

And regardless, Batt was adamant about one fact.

“This is a Top 10 athletic department in the country,” he said, repeating it for emphasis.

Guskiewicz officially welcomes Batt, who is now up to speak

Back at the mic, Guskiewicz is highlighting how college athletics are changing, and how Batt can fit that job and how he’s “the best.” Batt will be tasked with leading Michigan State in an era where NIL has become integral to fielding competitive teams, and where revenue sharing and other elements common to professional sports are coming to intercollegiate athletics.

“It’s a reality that things are changing. Athletics across the U.S. are at a pivotal point,” Guskiewicz said.

Guskiewicz also thanks former athletic director Alan Haller for his multiple years of service to Michigan State. And now Guskiewicz is finally welcoming Batt to the mic as the new Michigan State athletic director, the 21st in school history.

Izzo welcomes Batt, dishes briefly on role in search

Izzo comes to the mic and immediately welcomes the Batts to East Lansing, personally before outlining how he went down to visit with Batt as part of the search. He highlighted how the conversation covered NIL efforts, something Izzo isn’t the keenest about, and Izzo complimented how Batt has worked for Nick Saban, among others, in the past.

“If you can work for those two guys, you can work for anybody,” Izzo said.

Izzo lastly said, wrapping up his mostly light-hearted remarks, by saying that the biggest thing that can elevate Michigan State athletics going forward is great teamwork amidst the athletics staff, and that no coach or team can truly succeed without the administration working in tandem.

And in that, Izzo feels confident Batt can answer the bell.

“We all love the place,” Izzo said.

Guskiewicz outlines search leading to Batt hire

In brief remarks that hyped up the achievements of Michigan State athletics, Guskiewicz explained how he sold the Board of Trustees on a vision to get “top-tier” leadership.

“We we’re going to aim big, we were going to aim high,” Guskiewicz said.

He also thanked the board for helping shape the search before finally moving on and handing the microphone to Izzo for further remarks before Batt is up to speak.

Batt comes to podium, plenty of Spartan dignitaries in attendance

The press conference is officially underway to introduce Batt, and the expected collection of names are in attendance: Tom Izzo, Jonathan Smith, Adam Nightingale and the rest of Michigan State’s head coaches and athletic staff.

President Kevin Guskiewicz is up to speak first.

Introduction

East Lansing — Michigan State is introducing a new athletics leader on Wednesday afternoon, as J Batt will speak publicly on Wednesday at a press conference, his first remarks since being announced as the Spartans’ new athletic director earlier in the week.

Batt is scheduled to speak at 3 p.m. on campus and address an array of topics regarding his new job , Michigan State, and its place in a rapidly-changing world of college sports.

Batt comes to East Lansing after a multi-year stretch in the same role at Georgia Tech, where he was athletic director since 2022. Batt’s hire comes after a brief search in the wake of Alan Haller’s firing in May.

Batt will be the third athletic director at Michigan State since Mark Hollis resigned in 2018. Bill Beekman held the job after Hollis, serving a number of years before Haller took over the job in 2021. The MSU Board of Trustees will vote on approving the hire later in June, with Batt slated to officially begin work on June 16.

Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Andrew Graham.

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