Michigan State is expected to hire Georgia Tech athletic director J Batt as the school’s next athletic director, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
A deal is expected to be announced in the near future, sources said, as Batt emerged as the clear target in recent days. His fundraising background and power conference experience appealed to Michigan State, which was looking to modernize its athletic department.
Batt has worked as the athletic director at Georgia Tech since October 2022 and quickly established a strong reputation in the industry for fundraising and revenue generation. Per his bio, donations increased by 43% to $78.2 million in Batt’s first fiscal year at Tech. He also spearheaded a significant financial partnership with Hyundai that included field naming rights.
Batt is also one of the 10 athletic directors on the Implementation Committee that’s spent the last few months shaping the future of the sport in anticipation of the House Settlement. He was slated to make more than $1.2 million this year in total compensation at Georgia Tech.
His background comes from the fundraising side, as he worked as Alabama’s COO and Chief Revenue Officer prior to coming to Georgia Tech. He launched a 10-year, $600 million capital campaign while at Alabama.
During his time at Georgia Tech, Batt promoted coach Brent Key at and hired Damon Stoudamire in men’s basketball. He also did significant work to improve the gameday experience.
At Alabama, he was the sport administrator for men’s basketball and also gained significant football experience.
The combination of strong football and basketball experience is appealing to Michigan State, which prides itself on being competitive at the highest levels in both sports.
Batt worked at East Carolina, Maryland (2009 to 2013 in the transition leading into the Big Ten), James Madison, William & Mary and at his alma mater, North Carolina.
Batt played soccer at UNC and was a member of the 2001 NCAA championship team there. While there, he built a relationship with now-Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz, who was faculty/staff member at UNC at that time.
In removing athletic director Alan Haller from the position, Guskiewicz prioritized an athletic director who can “best navigate the changing landscape of college athletics” and manage both internal and external relationships.
Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo worked as the co-interim athletic director after Haller’s departure, along with MSU veteran athletics official and deputy AD Jennifer Smith.
