J Batt has agreed to a six-year deal to leave Georgia Tech and become the athletic director at Michigan State, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The new deal — expected to be formally announced Monday — is anticipated to significantly raise his compensation, sources told ESPN.
Batt emerged as the clear target for the Spartans in recent days, as his fundraising background and power conference experience appealed to Michigan State, which was looking to modernize its athletic department.
He has worked as the athletic director at Georgia Tech since October 2022, quickly establishing 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.
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Batt is one of the 10 athletic directors on the Implementation Committee that has spent the past 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 the University of Alabama Department of Athletics’ chief operating officer 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 Brent Key to football head coach and hired Damon Stoudamire to coach men’s basketball.
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 North Carolina, his alma mater.
Batt played soccer at North Carolina and was a member of the 2001 NCAA championship team there. While in Chapel Hill, he built a relationship with now-Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz, who was a faculty/staff member at UNC at that time.
In removing athletic director Alan Haller from the MSU position, Guskiewicz said he prioritized an athletic director who can “best navigate the changing landscape of collegiate athletics” and manage both internal and external relationships.
Spartans 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.
