Just because someone went to Pitt, played at Pitt, or is from Pittsburgh, whatever the case may be, doesn’t mean they should be in the running to be the next Director of Athletics.
Aaron Donald isn’t going to be the next Director of Athletics. I don’t think Pat Bostick or Chris LaSala will either, no offense to either. It shouldn’t matter — at all — if someone is from Pittsburgh. Wait, Dave Wannstedt for Director of Athletics! No. No, Pitt needs a new voice.
With former Director of Athletics Heather Lyke dismissed before the conclusion of her contract, Chancellor Joan Gabel has set in motion an immediate search. Lyke may have her faults, but she wasn’t a bad AD.
Gabel — fairly or not — has a spotlight on her now. If she’s moving on from a successful AD, no matter the faults, she better deliver.
It just doesn’t need to be someone who has either played at Pitt or attended the university. It’s probably better that it’s someone who hasn’t spent the last decade in the department. It’s time for a new, innovative voice.
If Pitt is moving on from Lyke, it’s only logical that her successor prioritizes what she didn’t. Gabel, by all accounts, isn’t afraid to invest in an athletic department. But in the new age of college athletics, those investments need to make sense. Massive investments in the non-revenue, Olympic sports aren’t it, unfortunately. It’s about making money; you gotta make money.
Pitt needs a fundraiser, someone who is completely and utterly obsessed with making money. Pitt can’t keep up unless there are major changes.
So, Pitt needs someone who will be the face of the department, someone who is comfortable raising their voice and being on the “front lines,” per se. Lyke wasn’t around much, publicly, and that will need to change. Pitt needs a Director of Athletics who thrives in the public eye and is willing to do whatever it takes to generate revenue.
Pitt is woefully behind in the NIL space, and as much as Alliance 412 makes up ground, there needs to be a greater push. The next Director of Athletics must prioritize it. It’s about making money.
A legitimate name to watch is Marcus Bowman, the Oklahoma Deputy Athletic Director of Business Strategy & CFO. But he just happens to have gone to school and played basketball at Pitt. But he certainly checks all the boxes. He’s a young, forward-thinker who has spearheaded Oklahoma’s ascent to the SEC.
Bowman does fit the mold. I look at the Big 12 and Commissioner Brett Yormark, too.
Yormark is bold and brash, which contrasts with the soft-spoken Bowman, to be sure. But he’s an outside-the-box thinker with a history of working in the sports & entertainment industry — hired away from serving as the COO of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. Many labeled the move as either a home run or a colossal failure. It may be a bit too early to know for sure, but Yormark is proactive. He’s a revenue generator and he’s always on the move.
That’s exactly what Pitt needs. We will see how Gabel approaches the decision.
Pray it’s based on MERIT and not DEI.
They need to keep EJ Borghetti on staff… he is a great ambassador for PITT.
I would agree that they don’t have to have Pitt ties,but Marcus Bowman would be a nobrainer to be honest
Tremendous article and agree with Bowman. Those Pittsburgh names from Post Gazette article was a joke. Gable needs to bring in someone that knows how to drastically improve Pitt athletics. Someone like Sarah Baumgartner from Texas University or Allen Greene from Tennessee University. These are 2 young future stars that know how to bring in money.
Why not a pitt guy ,the other ad’s we’ve had for the last 30 yrs or so weren’t pitt guys ,so maybe we should hire a guy with pitt ties who knows the university and cares
They need to hire the absolute BEST person for the job.
We need someone that can not only raise money but is not afraid to go after top tier coaches when positions open up. We need someone to continue to bring the Pitt Athletic program into the 2020’s and compete with the big dogs. I don’t want Alabama’s program necessarily because I also like the academics aspect of Pitt. This is not a “win at all costs” request, but it is a request to step up to the level other higher education institutions that we compete with.
With everything that is evolving in college athletics, the next 3-5 years will determine the next 30-50 years. Pitt cannot afford to swing and miss on this hire.
Well l don’t get your point. The last 5 ADS at Pitt were not “Pitt” or “Pittsburgh People.” Maybe it’s time to hire a Pitt guy.
Sorry Terry, I didn’t see your post, but I agree with every word of it!