Excited that we may have an outside the box AD hire in place by end of the week. Amy Towers deserves a round of applause if what is said by the search firm is true.
AD search outside the box
- Thread starter kupuna133
- Start date
Here's a link to the article that doesn't require an nj.com subscription.
The consultant leading the search, Len Perna of Turnkey ZRG, had this to say:
- Rutgers has focused on candidates "with a commercial background."
- "I do think it's necessary for Rutgers in particular because of where they're located in the marketplace to find an athletic director that has a really strong commercial background."
I agree!
Last June, the university adopted a financial sustainability plan. The plan specifies three financial performance targets: 1) 5% operating margin, 2) 3x debt service coverage, and 3) unrestricted donations totaling 3% of operating revenue.
An athletic director with a commercial background is needed to help Rutgers achieve its financial goals. The previous AD had a political and academic background. His predecessor was a diversity hire. Now, Rutgers is looking at an AD who is all about the financial results.
The consultant leading the search, Len Perna of Turnkey ZRG, had this to say:
- Rutgers has focused on candidates "with a commercial background."
- "I do think it's necessary for Rutgers in particular because of where they're located in the marketplace to find an athletic director that has a really strong commercial background."
I agree!
Last June, the university adopted a financial sustainability plan. The plan specifies three financial performance targets: 1) 5% operating margin, 2) 3x debt service coverage, and 3) unrestricted donations totaling 3% of operating revenue.
An athletic director with a commercial background is needed to help Rutgers achieve its financial goals. The previous AD had a political and academic background. His predecessor was a diversity hire. Now, Rutgers is looking at an AD who is all about the financial results.
Weird I don’t have an Nj.com subscription and was able to access. I love the fact that they are looking at someone from a business/finance background. As the article states. “Perna said he will work with the university to place an experienced team around whoever gets the job, and that is likely to include a strong No. 2 who has a background running a successful athletic department.”
Need a CEO type running the business of athletics, fundraising,and finance. Surround that person with administrators and support staff.
I also was able to access the article without a subscription. The AD is going to be the revenue-raiser. The #2 and others will do much of the day-to-day work of running the department. This has become a common model for university presidents and it makes sense to do the same here.
"I do think it's necessary for Rutgers in particular because of where they're located in the marketplace to find an athletic director that has a really strong commercial background."
Didn't RU have this in Tim Pernetti?
Didn't RU have this in Tim Pernetti?
Yep but what I think is key is the quote from search firm above.
Perna said he will work with the university to place an experienced team around whoever gets the job, and that is likely to include a strong No. 2 who has a background running a successful athletic department.
Pernettis support staff and overall leadership sucked.
The question is how does the next AD raise revenue.
Should the AD focus on the fan base by selling more tickets and raising more donations. That is how most power 5 teams do it. Historically, Rutgers has ranked last in the B1G on ticket sale revenues and donations. On donations, Rutgers is regularly last in the power 5.
Or should the AD double down on the revenue raising approach used by previous Rutgers ADs, who prioritized raising revenue by hitting up the government, university, and students for more subsidies.
I prefer the former. Perhaps I am in the minority on TKR, where posters repeatedly cite political connections as a critical factor for the role.
I learn toward your view. Hobbs was an AD with political connections. Having them probably did us some good, but it's reasonable for us to try a different direction. College athletics is a business, and we need to be run like one. That means we need to have a better product on the field and it means we need to give spectators an experience that will make them want to come back again.
A recent Turnkey ZRG placement at TCU.
Turnkey ZRG has done work with Michigan State and Wisconsin in the past.
Like the commentary that college athletic departments as places where the traditional way of running athletics is colliding with how business is done in the private sector. Non traditional ADs with institutional business backgrounds who have a strong team that can support those efforts.
Exciting times for RU athletics.
GO RU
Exciting times for RU athletics.
GO RU
Can we please hire someone with some marketing experience or knows how to spell the word at least. We are The State University of New Jersey. We are in the Big Ten. We are in one of the richest states in the country. We have NINE million people. Our marketing consists of having one table at football and basketball games with “R” magnets on them. Every time you turn on the TV or radio, you should be seeing commercials with such and such product or service being “ The Official xyz of Rutgers.”Every time you walk into a supermarket, sandwich shop, mattress store, gas station, jewelry store, car dealer, etc. in New Jersey,you should be seeing the “R” . This is how it is done everywhere ! We are not Stetson or Hofstra !
We also need to start using our facilities, not just athletic ones, for A LOT more events. Concerts, business expos, academic outings and contests, trips to the Zimmerman and the farms/Rutgers Gardens,charity events, as many youth and high school tournaments, all-star games, and playoffs in all sports as possible—we need to get young New Jerseyans and their parents on the three campuses as early as possible. They need to grow up becoming familiar with THEIR State University. Waiting until the 11th or 12th grade is often too late.
If I were an executive at Rutgers, I would emphasize our New Jersey connection so that New Jerseyans think of us the same way Pennsylvanians think of Penn State and Ohioans think of Ohio State. It is over a half century since Rutgers was a small liberal arts college with a vague church connection, and it is time we abandoned that image in how we think of ourselves and present ourselves to others. Otherwise we will never get the financial support we need for academics and athletics. End of rant!
At the very least, go back to having New Jersey in one end zone and end of the basketball court. Would like to stick with Rutgers on the front of all uniforms and New Jersey on the back. Wayyy too many New Jerseyans do not identify with Rutgers being THEIR State University because of the name. To them, it doesn’t mean more than Monmouth, Rowan, Stockton, Seton Hall, etc. Compromises can be made using both names. There are VERY few major state universities that don’t have the state name in them. Clemson, Auburn, and Cornell ( private/public) are rare exceptions.
Cornell is New York's land grant institution for the same reason Rutgers is New Jersey's; both schools have agricultural programs. (Rutgers was not NJ's state university when it became NJ's land grant). But no one in New York thinks of Cornell as the state university. It certainly doesn't charge state university level tuition and it doesn't give preference to NY applicants. Rather SUNY has that role. You're right in citing Clemson and Auburn, but keep in mind that South Carolina and Alabama (and Indiana, which has Purdue) have state universities bearing the state name. Rutgers is one of a kind.
I understand that back in 1956, when Rutgers officially became the state university, it was suggested in the legislature that Rutgers be made to change its name to New Jersey. Someone responded with the suggestion that it would be better for New Jersey to change its name to Rutgers!
Good article for Politi.
This quote- "So when he uses the word “pioneering” to describe a search, well, it’s hard to keep your eyebrows from climbing to the upper reaches of your forehead."
Query, for Politi, where are the upper reaches of the forehead?
This quote- "So when he uses the word “pioneering” to describe a search, well, it’s hard to keep your eyebrows from climbing to the upper reaches of your forehead."
Query, for Politi, where are the upper reaches of the forehead?
I don’t expect a name change, but if Mom and Dad didn’t go to Rutgers , little Johnny and Mary would have no idea Rutgers is THEIR university. We just need to use New Jersey more to get the Jones family in Pemberton, the Smiths in Andover, and the Browns in Swedesboro and their children to identify Rutgers , both academically and athletically , as New Jersey’s major university when they are 7, not 17.—Since the NINE million people of New Jersey also don’t have any TV stations, we also need Rutgers to create one and have it broadcast on all cable companies to get the word out about the university. Letting Montclair State run the New Jersey Public TV Network was not a good move.
Query, for Politi, where are the upper reaches of the forehead?
Does a penis head have a forehead?
Yeah, that's a great target: just how are you gonna convince people to make those donations? (Koko, not asking you as I know that's from the article.) That's the problem, getting people to actually donate. How are you going to successfully do that?
That’s not true Cornell absolutely has in state tuition rates especially for the program you mentioned, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. As well as the College of Human Ecology, and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Residents of New York state attending these programs pay a lower tuition rate than out-of-state students. It is not at SUNY rates but NY students get priority status for admission and tuition discounts.
Ok, go see Vice Principal Brown ! And no wandering the hallways hoping you run into Vanessa !
When I was a faculty member, I made donations. But I never made a unrestricted donation. I don't do that with my alma mater either although I try to be generous. Universities are huge places -- I don't want my money used for something I don't care about.
Thanks for the correction. But as far as I can find out, the in-state tuition is confined to the schools you mention (the "state contract colleges") Arts & Science and Engineering (the two schools most applicants want to go to) are private and the tuition reflects that. https://faq.enrollment.cornell.edu/kb/article/217-is-cornell-a-public-or-private-institution/
Yea only reason I know this is because Cornell tends to stack their athletes in the “state college” portion of the university (many interns lacrosse and hockey). And also because it was a bone of contention amongst buddies in my shore house years ago. Both had Cornell degrees one from “hotel and restaurant management” and one in economics. One paid private rates and the other in state. One was intelligent one was let’s just say a fantastic in state athlete. But they are best friends to this day. Hahahha
It won't surprise you to know that graduates of other Ivies make fun of those who graduated the state college portions as not being "real" Ivy alumni.
I'm not going to try to name candidates for the athletic director job.
Witness the recent president search. William Tate was never once mentioned on TKR as a candidate. The first time his name appeared is after Rutgers announced him. Many pointed to the Alabama president, Stuart Bell, as the next Rutgers president.
Let's turn to the apparel deal. The debate was Adidas versus Nike. Turns out the deal is with BSN SPORTS, a supplier nobody here had heard of until the deal was announced.
My best guess at this point is the next Rutgers AD is a sports biz exec or financial turnaround pro, and few here will recognize the name. Doubt it will be another college sports administrator like Hobbs or Julie.
This is so stupid. . We don’t need an outside the box hire …we have had enough of those. It should either be someone tate brings with him or baumgartner. Keep it simple stupid
And yeah this firm has probably hired some shi$ty AD’s…listen to plum !
And yeah this firm has probably hired some shi$ty AD’s…listen to plum !
Back of his neck.Good article for Politi.
This quote- "So when he uses the word “pioneering” to describe a search, well, it’s hard to keep your eyebrows from climbing to the upper reaches of your forehead."
Query, for Politi, where are the upper reaches of the forehead?
100%. The school operates with such a small time attitude sometimes. Why is the state track championship held at Pennsauken HS and not RU as an example? It was such a thrill running at RU or Princeton when I was in HS
Tate is instrumental in thinking outside the box is the way to go. Interested to see what hires were outside the box? Closest thing to outside the box was Pernetti. Everyone else was solidly inside the box. With most being ultra political hires.
Bob and Hobbs were outside the box in that they did not up through college sports administration. Julie was probably the most traditional hire in the past 40 plus years.
Both political appointees. Bob ran the NJSEA and had sports and facility managerial experience so not really outside the box. And Hobbs was Dean at Seton Hall and was interim AD for 2 years.
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