Spartans,
It’s football game week and with students now back on campus, there’s a buzz in every corner of East Lansing. Our men’s and women’s soccer teams have already opened their 2025 seasons, and our other fall sports officially begin this weekend. It’s a time of great optimism and unlimited possibilities for Michigan State Athletics!
Today marks 10 weeks to the day since my first day in the office as your athletics director. I know summer moves too quickly for all of us, but these 2 ½ months have passed by in the blink of an eye for me, as I transitioned into the role and my family and I moved to our new home.
As promised when I arrived, I’ve done a ton of listening and learning over the last few months with great Spartans everywhere. You’ve provided a great welcome, and I’ve enjoyed hearing stories about your connection to – and affinity for – our great university. I knew this was a special place, but I’ve gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Spartan – the work ethic, the innovation, the determination, and the genuine care for our fellow Spartans that lives in all of us.
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY
A common theme that has emerged from my numerous conversations is the love of Spartan football and the gameday experience on the Michigan State campus. Many of you have shared with me your thoughts on what makes gameday so great and also how that experience can be better, and our team has been hard at work this summer to make that a reality.
There are a few things we think you’ll immediately notice on Friday night or on your next visit to Spartan Stadium.
- The Munn Tailgate is the new pregame destination for Spartan fans of all ages. With the addition of the 517 Beer Garden to Meijer Fan Fest, it’s a great gameday stop for food, drinks and entertainment for the entire family. I’m confident you’ll enjoy this new twist on a favorite past tradition.
- Spartan Stadium’s three video boards as well as the LED ribbons have been replaced. The resolution and clarity are exceptional, and with a more robust replay system introduced last season, these boards will greatly enhance the in-venue experience for our fans.
- Levy is the new concessions partner of Spartan Athletics. Not only will you find new menu offerings, but you’ll also notice increased access and enhanced technology throughout the stadium with 25% more food and beverage points of sale, self-service technology at five stands, and six new grab-and-go speed lanes for beverages and snacks. In addition, alcohol will be sold at most concession stands, reducing the need to spend time in separate food and drink lines. Please note, alcohol sales will conclude at the start of the fourth quarter.
- We’ve also enhanced the game presentation. I don’t want to spoil all the surprises, but safe to say you’ll definitely know it when you see it … and hear it!
We will continue to identify opportunities to invest in the stadium, and in your gameday experience, as part of our commitment to Michigan State football. You can help us if you take a moment to fill out postgame surveys from athletics, should you receive one. Let us know what you like, and let us know where we can do better.
I hope you realize how instrumental you and the entire Spartan Community are to our success. The strength of Spartan Athletics can be found in the passion and spirit of our fanbase. A great example of this passion is our student section, which has sold out once again this season, exceeding last year’s record-breaking sales total. We need all of you to show up every weekend and put your Spartan Spirit on display. Friday night’s game is Stripe the Stadium and I can’t wait to see Green and White stripes throughout Spartan Stadium!
SPARTANS EMBRACE CHANGE AND MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES
Your continued passion and support will be even more instrumental as we enter the post-House settlement era of college athletics. This year, Michigan State Athletics will share $20.5 million of our revenue with student-athletes, the maximum allowed by the new rules. Additionally, all of our student-athletes have the opportunity to enter into third-party NIL agreements. These agreements are submitted through the NILGo platform and must be approved by the College Sports Commission. To date, the system is working, with some deals approved and some denied. Our student-athletes have submitted their deals and are receiving compensation for their approved NIL opportunities. You will certainly see some tweaks in the system, but this is a great step forward on the path to transparency and stability, while continuing to provide opportunities for student-athletes.
At Michigan State, we embrace the transformative change and see opportunities to take ground. Working in alignment with President Kevin Guskiewicz and University leadership, we’re going to be aggressively positioned to support our student-athletes and do what it takes to be successful, while staying true to our institutional values and who we are as Spartans.
In the NIL space, the athletics department is working with our multi-media rights partner Playfly/Michigan State Sports Properties, as well as others, to maximize true third-party opportunities for our student-athletes. Just last week, we announced the hiring of Mitchell Moorer as Executive Senior Associate AD for Student-Athlete Management and Administration. Mitchell’s wealth of experience working with contracts and salary caps in the NFL, and with NIL as a sports agent, will benefit student-athletes and our programs. Additionally, we’re in the process of hiring a Chief Revenue Officer, someone who will wake up every morning laser focused on discovering and creating new streams of revenue required to compete at the highest level.
These steps demonstrate our commitment to be the best possible athletic department we can be. One way that you can help our teams be successful is through a philanthropic gift to the Competitive Excellence Fund. Contributions to the CEF allow the department to address our greatest needs at any time, in any of our programs. This flexibility is imperative in the quick-moving landscape in which we now operate.
Success is a team effort. I promise that our athletics staff team will do all we can to make Michigan State the Top 10 athletic department that I know it is. I’m certain our loyal Spartan community will do the same.
IT’S ALMOST GAMEDAY
After a long offseason, Friday night will soon be upon us. I’ve been impressed watching Coach Jonathan Smith and his team follow their process and the belief they have in their system as they enter Year Two. It’s easy to see the progress they make each week of camp, and now they eagerly await the opportunity to take the field and see the results of their hard work, knowing that each and every Spartan is pulling for them to succeed.
I can’t wait to see you Friday night.
Go Green!
J Batt
Michigan State University Vice President and Director of Athletics
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