In the first part of Spartans Illustrated’s one-on-one conversation with Michigan State athletic director Dan Bartholomae, the focus was largely on what he intends to do.
Build more competitive rosters. Generate more revenue. Find the right person to lead Spartan Ventures. Keep the $500 million transformation of Spartan Stadium moving forward.
But over the course of the conversation, another theme emerged – one that had less to do with where Bartholomae plans to spend money and more to do with how he intends to lead Michigan State athletics.
He wants to communicate.
He wants to listen.
And, perhaps most notably for an athletic department that has undergone enormous structural change in a relatively short period, he believes Michigan State needs to do a better job explaining itself.
That starts with Spartan Ventures.
“We need to be a little more transparent about Spartan Ventures and what it is,” Bartholomae told Spartans Illustrated. “Sometimes just explaining things to people, it kind of helps clear up the gaps of communication.”
It was one comment in a wide-ranging interview, but it offered another glimpse into Bartholomae’s approach during his first weeks on the job.
There are plenty of things he eventually wants to change.
First, though, he wants to understand the place he has inherited – and make sure the people connected to Michigan State understand what the athletic department is doing, too.
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