Over the last few weeks, I’ve been closely watching the challenges facing the University of Michigan’s
Dave Brandon, a respected leader in college sports. Brandon’s situation is noteworthy because of the program’s history and his nontraditional background. He played football at Michigan, but the former Domino’s CEO is seen as a corporate executive who has brought more business sophistication to campus. At one time, it was seen as an advantage; under duress, it’s seen as misplaced priorities.
Brandon’s had a rough stretch, and there is frustration among alumni and students. First, there was a ticket promotion with Coca-Cola that was quickly dropped and, he admitted, poorly handled. Then there was the issue of quarterback Shane Morris, who suffered a concussion during a game and was allowed to continue playing, leading to widespread media criticism and a student rally against Brandon. Then, Brandon said a “disconnect” with students began more than two years ago after his decision to implement general admission seating for football games in a failed attempt to boost attendance.
These issues have been magnified largely through social media. The Coca-Cola promotion first gathered momentum on Twitter, and while TV announcers were surprised that Morris continued to play, fan outrage spilled over to Twitter and the story was driven by mainstream media days later.
Brandon has expressed surprise that his public exposure as AD is greater than being CEO of a Fortune 500 company, but he seemed especially rattled this time.
“When I came into this job I never envisioned a day there would be helicopters covering a rally that was in part focused on how I’m not doing my job and I don’t deserve the role that I have,” he told the The Detroit News.
Brandon has made missteps, and he’s being criticized for the “business-first” approach he was hired to implement. If Brandon were on another campus, the outcry over his business focus may not be so loud, but in Ann Arbor, he has become a lightning rod for straying too far from university tradition. A more sophisticated business is not what’s most important to the fans, and they’ve been eager to pounce on his travails in light of the football team’s poor performance under his handpicked coach.
I don’t believe his job is in jeopardy, but these issues come as the school has a new president, a biomedical researcher from Brown who didn’t hire Brandon. Brandon’s smart and respected, but his plight is another indication that today’s athletic directors, regardless of backgrounds, are under daily scrutiny over their actions, reactions, PR messaging and, of course, number of victories.
> ALSO ON CAMPUS: I spent a day earlier this month at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, about an hour south of Cleveland, where I was invited to speak to three classes on the topics of career development in sports, advertising and marketing trends in sports, and, finally, ethics in sports.
I had a great day at the school, spending time with longtime friend Jim Kadlecek at the university’s sports business program and a number of students. Great questions about how to get involved in sports and on the state of the NFL, the Clippers and Hawks ownership issues at the NBA, growth prospects for soccer, and FIFA and International Olympic Committee ethics concerns.
I also drove 20 minutes to take a quick tour of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. While it’s nestled snug along Interstate 77, I’m looking forward to seeing how the facility develops under new leader David Baker. Baker doesn’t think small and his energy is infectious, so this is a project worth keeping an eye on.
Abraham D. Madkour can be reached at amadkour@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
