John Wildhack named new SU AD

[longtimefan]

I sparingly participate in several sports message boards and even as an artist I do not think I hear or read so many men concerned with fashion than on these boards.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[xc84]

I'm not worried about fundraising at all, compliance would be my only concern

I think they can likely find a good compliance expert...which they would do in any case.

 

[kuethstheman]

I am assuming we are going to have John Buccigross giving us live updates every 15 minutes.

Or maybe he'll bring in Dan Le Betard to replace Mr. Excitement.

 

[supp]

ESPN is already saying "JB might not retire now"...

Boeheim: may keep coaching with AD Wildhack

Jeez...you gotta feel for Hop!

 

[longtimefan]

I like the SU background. I like the ESPN experience. His age and background both mean that he's likely here for the long run, which is great. I worry about the lack of AD experience. Running a large organization is not always a guarantee that you can run an athletic department. Just ask Dave Brandon. He doesn't have fundraising experience but I suppose he could hire people who are good at that. Hiring coaches is tricky. I don't have any doubt that he can handle the negotiations part but choosing the right guy? Hopefully he's smart and willing to learn.

Re: hiring coaches--

There will be no need for this, as we are set for the foreseeable future with Babers/Boeheim-Hopkins/Desko (despite some rumblings). You can even extend that to Hillsman.

 

[Toga]

Or maybe he'll bring in Dan Le Betard to replace Mr. Excitement.

Let's get this guy.

 

[CuseTroop]

Hire me, John. Will be the best(ish) decision you've ever made.

 

[TheCusian]

I like the SU background. I like the ESPN experience. His age and background both mean that he's likely here for the long run, which is great. I worry about the lack of AD experience. Running a large organization is not always a guarantee that you can run an athletic department. Just ask Dave Brandon. He doesn't have fundraising experience but I suppose he could hire people who are good at that. Hiring coaches is tricky. I don't have any doubt that he can handle the negotiations part but choosing the right guy? Hopefully he's smart and willing to learn.

There are no guarantees with any hire - but I think some people are vastly underrating his experience being translatable.

He's not some exec with no time managing smaller groups of people, budgets, etc. What is fundraising but a negotiation (esp with large $ donors)? He's overseen 50,000+ games - I'd bet his got an idea of what good coaching looks like. Scheduling should be taken care of. Compliance isn't that hard. He's certainly aware of the NCAA and its rules. And finally, you don't raise up the ladder (while making friends and advocates) without hiring good people to do the stuff you need help with.

This is as close to a grand slam as you can get.

As Babers is to SU football, Wildhack is to the AD position.

 

[OrangeBlood]

The future of college sports revenue is in television. This is the perfect forward-looking hire. Also, an alum and Buffalo guy! That is a combination I am fond of

 

[Toga]

Hopefully he will fix the little things, like Cuse.com not streaming the live press conference!

:bang:

I was watching it

 

[007]

" Leading the athletic department at my alma mater is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that presented itself, and it is the only job that could take me away."

"I think it's the greatest thing for us,'' Boeheim said. "He knows the business on all levels. He's a Syracuse guy. I just think he's so qualified and managed so many people in sports. It's perfect. Sometimes you get a manager who hasn't been in sports and a sports guy who hasn't managed. You get both things here. The Syracuse connection is an added benefit.''

“His impact on our production, our unparalleled suite of rights agreements and our overall values and culture is immeasurable,” Skipper wrote in an email sent to employees this morning. “He has served as a key advisor and business partner to me. I have relied often on his thoughtful and selfless judgement.”

Univ. of Miami professor Alicia Jessop: "Love Syracuse's AD hiring of former ESPN VP, John Wildhack. With the importance of TV deals to ath. dept. budgets, it's a power play."

Yeah, what they said.

Great hire.

 

[Whitey23]

I was watching it

I think i had this issue with Babers' press conference. Might be my pop up blocker.

 

[orangefog]

Perhaps being an alum and having a relationship with the university, he might better utilize the best communications school in the country?

 

[CuseLegacy]

Stephen Bailey ‏@Stephen_Bailey1 17m17 minutes ago
Syracuse interim AD Dan French said they started with 15-20 candidates before narrowing to 5-6.

Syracuse interim AD Dan French calls hiring an alumni a "point we were cognizant about," but not a deciding factor.

Syracuse interim AD Dan French points to Notre Dame, Purdue and Alabama as schools that have hired ADs with minimal experience in athletics.

Syracuse interim AD Dan French: Process went resume checking to interview-worthy candidates to finalists.

Syracuse interim AD Dan French said compliance office reports to him rather than AD.

Rick Burton calls AD John Wildhack's "commitment to academics" his strongest selling point. Media background also pertinent.

 

[CuseLegacy]

Syracuse Athletics ‏@Cuse 21m21 minutes ago
French: "John will take the department to a whole new level."

French says AD search committee narrowed it down to five or six "super-talented people" and John Wildhack stood out the most.

Burton says Wildhack really impressed search committee with his commitment to academics.

Burton says Widhack's ESPN experience negotiating media rights and creating new media platforms also helped make him the ideal hire.

Burton says if ACC Network forms, John Wildhack is the perfect person to put #Cuse in the best possible position.

 

[AZOrange]

Sounds like a great hire! Did we ever get a confirmation on his handle? Would be great if the AD took time to communicate with this board from time to time.

 

[supp]

Syracuse Athletics ‏@Cuse 21m21 minutes ago

Burton says if ACC Network forms, John Wildhack is the perfect person to put #Cuse in the best possible position.

How important is this? I have no idea. I suppose ADs can be a part of the league's negotiating team (like Jurich was in the BE) but I would presume that Swofford's office is primarily responsible for getting the network deal done. Getting us in the "best possible position" if the ACC network comes into being? I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean. If Wildhack can just fix the third tier content deal and get us on a regional network available outside CNY, he will have done God's work.

 

[Cuseregular]

Once again I love this chancellor, outta the box thinking, home freaking run hire!
(With any college experience I would've maybe said grand slam, but with big time college being essentially big business now thinking he's got the experience needed). Coyle who?

 

[Millhouse]

going back to go's idea that arenas are going to be television studios, it's going to be interesting to see what his TV background will bring to the design of the dome renovation. the guy should know as well as anyone what will work on TV

 

[djcon57]

Seems like Twitter opposition are all angry about us "being in bed with ESPN".

So MUST BE A GOOD HIRE! Way to go!

 

[texascpa]

Maybe. I get the fact that hiring a long-tenured ESPN exec has its advantages, but I really don't like the fact that he's never had an iota of AD-related experience. I guess it's just me. Hope he turns out to be the best AD we've ever had. :noidea:

Managing people is the same anywhere, managing large budgets are the same, managing relationships is the same.

 

[CuseLegacy]

ESPN Radio Syracuse ‏@ESPNSYRACUSE 27m27 minutes ago
Interim AD Dan French says SU is "confident he (John Wildhack) has all the skill sets" to do the job.

Dan French says he doesn't see SU as a stepping stone job. Adds that Coyle's reason for leaving was not something SU could combat.

Rick Burton: The Chancellor's vision is that we act like a Stanford, Notre Dame and other high education/high athletic institutions

Rick Burton: there's a perception we don't go big time, we just went really big time.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Okay... So can we at least assume the out of town scoreboard will finally be fixed!!!

You don't love getting a second quarter score of a game that ended an hour ago?

or getting the Yale vs Cornell score but not the Clemson vs ND game.

Whoever runs that thing should be replaced immediately, it was/is a joke.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Terrible headline for JB, IMO. Today's news is about the new AD, not JB. Ugh. Looks bad to me. Syverud will not be happy.

why???!!!

do think syverud didn't watch Hop's 9 game audition???

good lord, please don't go JB...

 

[KaiserUEO]

ESPN Radio Syracuse ‏@ESPNSYRACUSE 27m27 minutes ago
Interim AD Dan French says SU is "confident he (John Wildhack) has all the skill sets" to do the job
Dan French says he doesn't see SU as a stepping stone job. Adds that Coyle's reason for leaving was not something SU could combat.

Rick Burton: The Chancellor's vision is that we act like a Stanford, Notre Dame and other high education/high athletic institutions

Rick Burton: there's a perception we don't go big time, we just went really big time.

can you please put all your tweet posts like this??

thanks.