Michigan State Athletics is helping cut out any potential middle men between Spartans student-athletes and businesses that want to strike name, image and likeness deals. The Michigan State Exchange will connect student-athletes and organizations who wanted to negotiate NIL agreements, the university announced Tuesday in a statement.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Michigan State’s athletic department budget continues to remain significantly in the red for the second straight year, predominantly due to the lack of fans in the stands a year ago. The school’s athletic department suffered a $15.4 million shortfall during the pandemic-disrupted 2020-21 fiscal year, according to documents provided to USA Today via the Freedom of Information Act.
Source: Detroit Free Press
This past weekend saw the Michigan State cheer and dance teams compete at the UCA/UDA National Championship in Orlando, Florida, with multiple top-10 placings between the Spartan squads at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. Competing in Division 1A for the first time since 2019-20 after not being able to attend last season’s championship due to COVID-19, the Green and White had four of their five routines make it to the final day of competition.
Michigan State University (MSU) Athletics, MSU Sports Properties and Caesars Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) today announced a multi-year partnership to make Caesars Sportsbook the Official and Exclusive Sports Betting Partner and iGaming Partner of MSU Athletics. The partnership combines fan engagement opportunities, a new premium seating area at Spartan Stadium, and an expansion of responsible sports gaming education.
Effective January 1, 2022, Michigan State athletics will require spectators at indoor athletic events to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event. The policy applies to men’s and women’s basketball, hockey, wrestling and gymnastics home events. The first scheduled event with the policy in effect will be the men’s basketball game against Nebraska on Jan. 5.
The Big Ten Conference has recognized 1,843 student-athletes – 139 from Michigan State – competing in fall sports who have been named Academic All-Big Ten. Of the 60 fall honorees with perfect 4.0 GPAs, 11 were from Michigan State, the most of any school in the conference. Student-athletes earning 4.0 GPAs included:
For the fourth consecutive year, Michigan State has established an all-time high with a four-year Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) of 80%, according to data released by the NCAA on Dec. 2. MSU’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 92% tied the school’s all-time high, established last year. This year’s data includes the 2011-12 to 2014-15 freshman cohorts for the four-year totals and 2014-15 for the single-year rate.
Forwards Matilda Ekh and Taiyier Parks both set career highs in scoring, as MSU women’s basketball stopped Oakland, 84-71 Friday at the Athletics Center O’rena. Michigan State snapped a two-game losing streak, improving to 5-2 this season. Oakland falls to 2-4 with losses to both Michigan and Michigan State. The Spartans got back to their offensive scoring ways after being held under 70 points for two-straight games.
Epiphany Clark has been promoted to Associate Athletic Director and serves as the Chief of Staff for Athletic Director Alan Haller. In this role, Clark serves as the executive liaison to internal administrative units, while also creating partnerships for athletics with departments and leadership throughout the University. In addition, she plays a lead role in strategic initiatives for the athletic department.
The 2021 Michigan State Hall of Fame Class was officially inducted on Friday, Sept. 24. Franklin Gomez (wrestling), Anthony Hamm (men’s cross country/track and field), Carol Hutchins (softball/women’s basketball), Lynn Janson (men’s golf), Elizabeth (Shimek) Moeggenberg (women’s basketball), Floor Rijpma (field hockey), Charles Rogers (football) and Ron Scott (hockey) officially joined the newly renovated Hall at the Clara Bell Smith Center.
Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D., has appointed Alan Haller, current MSU assistant vice president, and deputy athletic director, as vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. The announcement comes after the MSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the president’s selection during a special meeting.
Multiple sources told the Free Press deputy director Alan Haller is likely to be promoted this week to lead the athletic department, after school president Samuel Stanley and others interviewed two finalists over the weekend. A final decision was made early Monday afternoon, and the two parties are finalizing contract details.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Michigan State Athletics today announced that The Brandr Group (TBG) is bringing Spartan student-athletes the opportunity to combine their Name, Image and Likeness with MSU’s official trademarks and logos through participation in a Group Licensing Program.
Michigan State mourns the passing of Jim Pignataro, the Executive Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services at Michigan State University. Pignataro was 49.
In a statement, the Big Ten said, “In collaboration and communication with the Big Ten Conference Athletic Directors, Chancellors and Presidents, the Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Sports Medicine Committee — effective today — the conference has determined that if one of its member institutions is unable to play a conference contest due to COVID-19, that contest shall be declared a forfeit and will not be rescheduled.”
Source: ESPM
It’s been two weeks since Bill Beekman announced he was stepping down as Michigan State’s athletic director. Since then, there has been little more than speculation as to who might succeed Beekman. The campaigning has continued as more support rolled in Friday for an internal candidate while an outside group has made a push for Michigan State to hire a woman.
Source: Detroit News
The linebacker position has long been successful for the Spartans. After a down year in 2020, what does the position look like for Michigan State heading into the 2021 season?
Source: The Only Colors
Michigan State will induct eight Spartans into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 24 as part of its annual “Celebrate” weekend. The 2021 Hall of Fame Class includes: Franklin Gomez (wrestling), Anthony Hamm (men’s cross country/track and field), Carol Hutchins (softball/women’s basketball), Lynn Janson (men’s golf), Elizabeth (Shimek) Moeggenberg (women’s basketball), Floor Rijpma (field hockey), Charles Rogers (football) and Ron Scott (hockey).
Things are quieter around Michigan State now compared to the last time it went looking for a new athletic director. And that’s a good thing for school leaders as they look to make a pivotal hire for the future of Spartans athletics. Bill Beekman stepped down this week after three years as the school’s athletic director and will move to a new role in the school president’s office.
Source: mlive.com