📡 Bill Battle stepping down/ Greg Byrne announced as new AD

[JoshB]

Just got an alert on my phone that Bill Battle is stepping down and will be replaced by Arizona AD Greg Byrne.

 

[JoshB]

Little insight into Byrne and what he brings to the table...

Byrne, 45, joined the UA in May 2010 after serving as athletic director at Mississippi State and associate athletic director at both Oregon State and Kentucky. Under Byrne, the Arizona athletic department budget has grown from $45 million to $80 million. Byrne hired football coach Rich Rodriguez and baseball coach Jay Johnson, moved Wildcats' baseball program off-campus to Hi Corbett Field and oversaw renovations to Arizona Stadium and McKale Center. Byrne's next fundraising project was supposed to be a modernization of Arizona Stadium, replacing the old facility's metal bleachers with chairbacks.

Byrne's use of social media and email — his "Wildcat Wednesdays" dispatches are sent to UA fans weekly — made him ahead of the times in the older, often-stodgy world of athletic directors. Byrne was linked to openings at the Michigan, Texas and USC during his time at the UA, but rebuffed the schools' interests.

Byrne will almost certainly receive a sizable raise to run the Crimson Tide's athletic department. He made a base of $600,000 per year at Arizona; Battle's four-year deal, signed in 2013, called for a base salary of $620,000.

Arizona Wildcats athletic director Greg Byrne expected to leave for Alabama

 

[JoshB]

Supposedly Battle is leaving because of his health and he'll stay on in a sort of advisory role.

 

[OldPlayer]

Supposedly Battle is leaving because of his health and he'll stay on in a sort of advisory role.

Battle took the job with a 4-year contract when Mal died and never expected to serve longer. He's 75 and most people are retired at that point. His cancer battle has gone well, but you never know.

This is a big step up for Byrne. I hope he's ready for it.

 

[Alabama17Tide]

Battle steps down; Byrne expected to take Alabama AD position
Cecil Hurt | Sports Editor

Bill Battle is stepping down after nearly four years as athletics director at Alabama.
Gary Cosby Jr. | The Tuscaloosa News
University of Alabama Director of Athletics Bill Battle is stepping down.

Battle, 75, will transition into a position as special assistant to UA President Stuart Bell once a successor is in place. His current contract expires in June.

Greg Byrne, currently vice president for athletics at Arizona, is expected to be named as Battle's successor. Byrne has run the Arizona athletics department since 2010, and was athletics director at Mississippi State from 2008-10.

Battle was hired to replace Mal Moore in March of 2013 and made a four-year commitment to UA Chancellor Robert Witt.

"When I took this job, I talked it over with (wife) Mary and we agreed it would be a four-year adventure, so I told Dr. Witt that I would sign a four-year contract," Battle told The Tuscaloosa News.

Battle underwent cancer treatment for multiple myeloma last summer, taking a medical leave of absence for approximately eight weeks. He returned to his duties in time for the Crimson Tide's 2016 football season.

"Even before I went in for the stem-cell transplant this summer, I talked to Dr. Bell and told him, 'You need to start looking for some possible replacements and get started as soon as possible.' So that process started in mid-fall," Battle said.

Battle said his health was not a factor in his decision.

"My health is good, or as good as a 75-year old man's can be," he said. "My cancer is in full remission. But at my age, I just didn't want to come into work every day anymore. I love what I do and wouldn't take anything for the experience of having done it. But I'm getting to the point where I want to do some of the the other things I love to do, too. I want to spend more time in Jackson Hole, and at my farm."

Battle plans to take an active role in helping the new athletics director get settled into his position.

"I will be helping with the transition and some other high-level strategic planning," he said. "My contract officially expires in June, but I plan to be around a lot longer as a consultant and advisor."

Bell expressed gratitude for Battle's service to UA.

“Bill has done a tremendous job as director of athletics, and has accomplished so much during his career,” Bell said in a statement released by the school. “His business expertise, coupled with his coaching experience and his strong understanding of the role an athletic department has in the daily fabric of a university, has allowed us to achieve the great successes we have enjoyed during his tenure. We are blessed to have the continued benefit of his counsel.”

Battle played at Alabama for legendary coach Paul W. "Bear" Bryant from 1960 until 1962 and had later careers as a college football coach and a highly successful licensing executive.
TideSports.com - Battle steps down; Byrne expected to take Alabama AD position

 

[sean]

neat bit of trivia about Bill Battle...

he was born the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor...Dec. 8, 1941

 

[TUSKtimes]

The Greg Byrne's hire was decisive and it's just smart these days to pick someone that allows you to keep your business in order. Fundraising and building bridges are where it's at. Now, can we please have a new basketball stadium?

 

[planomateo]

Jackson Hole is on my list of places to visit in the next 10 years. Good luck to Bill as he retires again.

Interesting article.

 

[planomateo]

Odd to me his twitter account hasn't been updated, considering he's been one of the early adopters of social media as an AD.

 

[UAgrad93]

I just hope Byrne isn't like the last non-UA graduate AD. Bockrath was such an asshole!!

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

I just hope Byrne isn't like the last non-UA graduate AD. Bockrath was such an asshole!!

Didn't he pretty much single-handedly run Stallings off?

 

[UAgrad93]

Didn't he pretty much single-handedly run Stallings off?

Yep! At least the understanding I had was that Coach Stallings had a contract on his desk. He was waiting until the conclusion of the season to make a decision. Bockrath went storming into the lockerroom following the game in Starkville and demanded a decision the. Either sign it or retire!! Supposedly, and more than likely correct, Coach told him to get his ass out of HIS lockerroom and he would tell him his decision when he was good and damn well ready.

 

[OldPlayer]

Odd to me his twitter account hasn't been updated, considering he's been one of the early adopters of social media as an AD.

He starts in March. I don't think Arizona would be too happy if he's being paid by them and working for us.

 

[planomateo]

He starts in March. I don't think Arizona would be too happy if he's being paid by them and working for us.

Good point.

 

[TerryP]

 

[planomateo]

@OldPlayer He's updated his twitter profile, no longer references Arizona.

 

[AirForceBamaFan]

Battle took the job with a 4-year contract when Mal died and never expected to serve longer. He's 75 and most people are retired at that point. His cancer battle has gone well, but you never know.

This is a big step up for Byrne. I hope he's ready for it.

Shouldn't be too hard. All he has to do is learn, " Yes Sir, Coach Saban. Whatever you say Coach Saban."

 

[OldPlayer]

@OldPlayer He's updated his twitter profile, no longer references Arizona.

It's generic

 

[planomateo]

Meanwhile, Texas still has an interim Athletic Director for the last 16 months.

 

[rammerjammer]

Heard Cecil Hurt talking on local sports radio this morning, he said Byrnes was our first choice. If that is indeed the case, I'm glad we got him.