Reports out there northwestern is going hard after Lyke for their next ad. Hopefully Pitt can serve up the funds to keep her.
Northwestern going hard after Lyke
- Thread starter ThePanthers
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Northwestern Heavily Pursuing Heather Lyke as Next AD
Just days before the start of the 2024 Pitt Panther football season, some potential major news concerning Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke. A well-placed source tells Pittsburgh Sports Now that Northwestern University is in talks with and is heavily pursuing Lyke. Northwestern has been...
pittsburghsportsnow.com
Honestly, we'll be fine either way. She's a good AD, but she also benefits quite a bit from who she followed.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
Agree. She's done a fine job but it wouldn't be world ending by any stretch of the imagination. A lot of what happens at Pitt will depend on where the school sees itself in ten years in this ever shifting conference nonsense.
Presumably, they're referring to Fox and CBS. I agree with the other sentiments though. You really usually only notice the AD if things are going very poorly.
I mostly agree. Though based on track record I’m not optimistic we would hire somebody as good as Heather.
Yes. Pitt has hired some real stinkers in the past for the AD positionn.
The Big 10 gave each school a lot more $ than the ACC and the Ryan family has donated a ton of money.
Anyone who hasn't lived under a rock for the past two years....
So basically anyone who isn't a salamander, potato bug, garter snake, nightcrawler, spider, or a millipede.
Northwestern celebrates the groundbreaking of new Ryan Field
Northwestern University today celebrated the formal groundbreaking for the new Ryan Field, a 100% privately funded project set to bring thousands of jobs and nearly $660 million in economic impact to the City of Evanston and surrounding areas.
news.northwestern.edu
OK, I should’ve been more clear. They currently play in a 12K capacity stadium.Northwestern celebrates the groundbreaking of new Ryan Field
Northwestern University today celebrated the formal groundbreaking for the new Ryan Field, a 100% privately funded project set to bring thousands of jobs and nearly $660 million in economic impact to the City of Evanston and surrounding areas.
My thinking is this will be resolved one way of the other very quickly There are too many prominent names and donors attached to the program that will go to bat for her. In the end Pitt will step up and offer her the contract she's looking for. You can take that to Vegas.
Now the question is, does she want to stay? Nobody knows how well she gets along with the new chancellor.
In my opinion, the Northwestern job has less pressure than Pitt:
1. They have more money and in a steady conference. She wouldn't have to deal with the pressure of realignment and the outcome concerning Pitt
2. She doesn't have to deal as much with NIL and trying to find opportunities for more income.
3. Raising money for Victory Heights is a full time job already.
The Pitt AD job has changed drastically since she first took the job. There is no question about it. Does she want to deal with the pressure?
We'll see..
Now the question is, does she want to stay? Nobody knows how well she gets along with the new chancellor.
In my opinion, the Northwestern job has less pressure than Pitt:
1. They have more money and in a steady conference. She wouldn't have to deal with the pressure of realignment and the outcome concerning Pitt
2. She doesn't have to deal as much with NIL and trying to find opportunities for more income.
3. Raising money for Victory Heights is a full time job already.
The Pitt AD job has changed drastically since she first took the job. There is no question about it. Does she want to deal with the pressure?
We'll see..
I don't think I would like Chicago....but if I were her I'd be gone faster than you can say "Conference expansion"
Not to mention dealing with SMF calling in 20 times a week with new ideas.
She also won't be held accountable for the ill-advised decision to give Narduzzi $6.5M a year and a 137 year extension.
If NW wants her, she gone. Its a P2 job and Evanston is beautiful. That said, it doesn't matter. We need to hire an NIL-minded AD.
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The benefits of Northwestern is a secure spot and $$$ in the Big 10 with a new football stadium on the way and literally zero pressure for any success in sports.
The downside, zero upside for the revenue sports programs.
The downside, zero upside for the revenue sports programs.
Northwestern has more resources and plays in a power 2 conference. They also aim to be a bigger player in athletics, whereas Pitt has been content doing just enough for decades. It's really a no brainer decision unless she really likes Pittsburgh or is holding out for a higher level p2 program.
What I can't wait for is the next AD to once again get schooled by the PSU AD. Every new AD comes in talking about getting PSU on the schedule. They openly talk about reaching out to them, only to have the PSU AD publicity reject Pitt. Somehow the PG knows all the details. Happens with each new AD and I am curious to find out if Pitt has learned yet.
What I can't wait for is the next AD to once again get schooled by the PSU AD. Every new AD comes in talking about getting PSU on the schedule. They openly talk about reaching out to them, only to have the PSU AD publicity reject Pitt. Somehow the PG knows all the details. Happens with each new AD and I am curious to find out if Pitt has learned yet.
Their new stadium will likely be a tremendous place to experience a football game.
Yes, if a fan likes watching his alma mater get their butts kicked nearly every week….and be a conference also ran into eternity.
which is a one year temporary stadium while their new $800 million stadium gets built. the original stadium had a capacity of 47000. And its actually 15000 not 12000.
Weren't there similar reports that Ohio State wanted her too? TBH I like Heather and hope she stays, but it comes down to what she prioritizes. She has amazing inroads here and probably could retire from Pitt a very rich and happy woman.
So now Northwestern has more resources than Pitt? Good grief! Everytime some college goes after anyone at Pitt, people come on this board and bluster's that school has more resources. I mean NW? Some people on this board is just simple.
Thanks for keeping us honest and apprised of all things Big Pretend. Really appreciated. Hope you find better ways to utilize your excessive amount of free time in the future.
And they packed it so often that the new stadium's capacity is going to be 35,000.
They are, essentially, building a really nice MAC stadium.
That's what I don't get. Certainly there are plenty of jobs in the Big Ten that all things considered would be a step up from Pitt. But if someone has a drive to be the best, if someone wants to run a top level athletic department, Northwestern not only isn't on that list, it's not even close to the list.
They have Big Ten conference revenue that tens of millions more than Pitt every year, and have contributions to build an $800 million stadium. They have more resources.
They were 5-2 playing at home last season. Of course they aren't going to do great again the upper echelon programs, but I don't consider them a bottom feeder anymore. Only a matter of time before they surpass most programs not in the Big 2.
Northwestern didn’t even care enough to put lights at Ryan Field. And it was filled with alumni from road teams living in the Chicago area.
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