Incoming Georgia Tech AD J Batt's "role as a fundraiser" figures to be "central to his contributions" to the athletic department when the former Alabama Exec Deputy AD begins his new position Oct. 24, according to Ken Sugiura of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. That quality was “put on display in his oversight" of a 10-year, $600M capital campaign at Alabama that began in August 2018 and "in a little more than four years had reached more than 85% of its goal.” GT President Ángel Cabrera said, “We need additional resources to be able to be as competitive as we want to be. That’s an area where he brings incredible experience.” Sugiura writes GT is "in need of a leader in the athletics department who can lead development operations in a meaningful manner." The school is “below average in the ACC in spending in athletics in general and football in specific.” It began the fiscal year with its reserve fund in a $12.1M deficit. For GT to "truly compete with the elite in college athletics," it will "likely require the athletic association to not only catch up financially with its competition in the conference and nationally, but then continue to keep pace.” Batt said that following his hiring announcement on Friday he “spent time over the weekend speaking with Tech donors and forming relationships.” Among his first steps in office will be "developing a long-term plan for revenue generation and development and working with institute leadership to find ways to work across campus" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 10/17).
