Pitt Athletics
Update on Heather Lyke Pitt/Northwestern Situation
Will Heather Lyke be Pitt’s athletic director when the 2024 college football season starts on Saturday?
While there isn’t a definite answer to that at this minute, we do have an update.
A well-placed source tells Pittsburgh Sports Now that the “the sense is that this resolves itself today one way or another.”
In other words, the feeling is that we should learn soon if Lyke will be signing an extension at Pitt or if she’ll be heading to run Northwestern’s athletic department.
Northwestern has been searching for a new full-time athletic director since re-assigning Derrick Gragg, following the Pat Fitzgerald scandal.
Heather Lyke
A couple of other things that I’ve been able to gather regarding this major story.
Two of the top issues that are being examined by Pitt’s new chancellor Joan Gabel are Pitt’s overall NIL situation along with the overall financial health of the athletic department.
From what I’ve gathered, there’s legitimate concern about both.
Thanks to the leadership shown by Chris Bickell and the 412 Alliance, Pitt is in a better spot now than they were a year ago. However, as a university they were slow to get aboard and be proactive, which ultimately falls on the shoulders of Lyke. Unfortunately, Lyke and people around her were very slow getting on board with the NIL and that cost Pitt. The bottom line is that Bickell and his team have been a God send for the university.
Pitt has also been relatively slow in terms of fund raising and creating meaningful relationships with the movers and shakers in the business world, which is a major job of the athletic department. Once again, that goes with Lyke’s job responsibility.
PSN is told that this was a factor in Lyke not getting a serious look at Ohio State’s recent athletic directors opening.
One other aspect that has some people concerned is the overall spending being done over the years by the athletic department. PSN is told that a similar spending pattern was done at Eastern Michigan, while Lyke was athletic director.
All of this has given Chancellor Gabel some hesitation in extending Lyke, especially for the length of deal that Lyke is asking for.
Once again, PSN is being led to believe that within the next 24 hours, a decision on Lyke’s future should be announced.
Sign her long term……no questions asked.
Maybe some tiered bonuses for reaching fundraising goals for NIL and facility improvements would be a solution that keeps her here but also lights a fire under her to get in the game on those issues.
Very interesting questions that are raised here.It’s not a secret that Pitt is way behind in NIL money.ESPN had that article about Ohio St throwing $20 mil into an NIL war chest,and if that is true that they didnt seriously consider Lyke for the AD job because she isnt a good fund raiser etc etc…That would give me pause about extending her..
I don’t understand why anyone would want to be associated with Northwestern stupidity at its best. If she wants that crappy job good riddance.
I’d like to see her stay, but this article makes it sound like Pitt is somewhat lukewarm to extending her.
Pitt avg NIL $22k. Ohio State – $206k – Bama $246k – Ped State – $60k. She dropped the ball big time. If we don’t get competitive quickly we are doomed. Great article and very valid points. She did well under the old system but failed to adapt, she needs to prove that she learned her lesson. If she can’t prove she gets it then find someone that understands NIL.
Where do these numbers come from that you’re citing?
On3
She may be flawed but she goes after and hires quality coaches and has had an extremely positive impact on Pitt athletics in general.
Considering the remarkable success of numerous Pitt sports programs under Lyke’s leadership, she deserves a chance to adjust to the new/NIL reality of college sports. She is smart and contemplative. I believe the odds favor her adjusting well after having studied NIL developments. Sign Lyke to a new contract, Chancellor. She has earned the right to prove herself in a developing NIL world.
Thank God Chancellor Gabel is being fair and balanced about Lyke. Lyke overspent at Eastern Michigan and her contract extensions of Narduzzi and Capel demonstrate financial imprudence. She has played Volleyball and a few minor sports above all else. Women’s basketball has been horribe, so has baseball. Slow to get on board with NIL should be a fireable offense. Gabel understand’s Heather has deficiencies.