8B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - February 2, 2004

I

By Jim Weber Daily Sports Editor
Be honest: How many of you still get Athletic Director Bill Martin con-
fused with the booster, Ed Martin? And even if you know who Bill is, do
you actually know what he does? A local businessman who was begged
by members of the Athletic Department to serve as its director, Bill Martin
didn't walk into an easy situation. The department was facing a tremen-
dous amount of debt, and the U.S. Attorney's office was investigating the
Ed Martin scandal. He gave his first year's salary back to the University
and doesn't have a contract. "I work at the pleasure of the President,"
Martin said. In three and a half years on the job, Bill Martin has moved
past the basketball scandal and eliminated the Athletic Department's
debt. But his job isn't done. Now he's making sure the department's finan-
cial statement and facilities are set for the long term.

4
I

If you think Lloyd Carr and Tommy Amaker
have pressure-packed and thankless jobs,
check out how Bill Martin defines his work:
SOURCE: THE SPORTING NEWS m
Running a Division I ath-
letic programn is hard
work It rma be the
toughest Job in all of
sports. If you don't think
Mcg, check out this job
e s t hdesc i ire coach-
es who wix get kids to
go to class; put fn 
u the seats; play by the
win at te aioa level.
dance; make a bowl
game; see to iinthat the
athletes who stay not
only sty eiilb
graduate; sell T-shirts,
SadMatn:"h pour thinst' conere t
r a i u p r p rsn o r e v e n u e a t a l l ; g u a r -
antee women athletes
the same ropportunity to
don't tick off the NCA A;
keep the students happy
and the lmsad tyd hr
and the Board of
Regents. Oh yes, make
nice with reporters, too
In response, Martin told The Michigan Daily: "At
Michigan, you can add two other critical job
requirements to the description. First, be totally
self-sufficient, and second, fully fund all 25 of
your varsity sports so they have an opportunity to
win at the national level."
Martin's job pulfs him in a million different direc-
tions at once, but it all revolves around four very
basic and important objectives
Said Martin: "The four things I'rm concerned with
are, one: academics. Second is ehclbe vwof
our coaches, our administrators and our students.

- winning the right way - and the last one is
being
Former Athletic Director Tom Goss didn't pass the
baton to Bill Martin smoothly - he chucked it at
Martin's feet. The department was headed toward
a $3-million debt after a Detroit radio station went
bankrupt and fell through on its contract with the
University. The Athletic Department introduced
two new varsity sports - women's water polo and
men's soccer - which cost the department
$600,000 in the 2000-01 ,fiscal year. Goss tried to
bully Nike into a huge contract, instead of han-
dling negotiations delicately. Martin tried to put a
new deal together, but it fell through at the last
minute. Instead of getting paid by Nike, the Uni-
versity was forced to buy its equipment from Nike
for $760,000 in the 2000-01 fiscal year.
Goss fired basketball coach Steve Fisher after alle-
gations of a scandal, but left Martin with Fisher's
assistant, Brian Ellerbe. In a time when communica-
tion about scandal was essential, the Detroit Free
Press reported that Athletic Department officials
reached an agreement with the NCAA over the eli-
gibility of former basketball player Jamal Crawford
without consulting the University's attorneys. For-
mer University President Lee Bollinger forced Goss's
resignation on Feb. 9, 2000, and named Martin
interim Athletic Director a month later.
I 9.101 L- .
The name Ed Martin follows Bill Martin. When
asked in the spring of 2002 about the impact
of Steve Fisher and the Fab Five on Michigan,
Bill Martin told the Detroit Free Press: "I think
they have left a wonderful legacy here. I'm
pleased to see how over time they are reac-
quainting themselves with our team. I see
nothing but the positives about that for the
program ... I don't think (the scandal) isra part
of the legacy at all with them."
Oops. Welcome to a living nightmare.
After years of turmoil, an NCAA investigation,
a federal investigation, a self-imposed ban,
forfeited games, reimbursements to the NCAA
and NIT, an NCAA ban and an NCAA repeal,
the Ed Martin saga that lasted more than
seven years has finally been removed as Bill
Martin's top priority. It's certainly still on his
mind, though. That much is obvious by the
way he stresses "ethics in the classroom, in the
community, as well as on the court."

Martin sums up the importance of the scan-
dal with a Michigan alum's quote that sticks
out in his mind: " 'You have devalued my
Michigan degree.'"
Said Martin: "Think about those words for a
minute."
,Iv~iTO (w1

(00% ON* b y,
With the Ed Martin scandal and the Athletic
Department's deficit behind him, Bill Martin's
attention is squarely on the department's long
term financial health. Specifically, Martin is in
the process of adding and updating facilities.
Here is a look at some of his plans:
Cademc Cent
THE SKINNY: This two-year project is sched-
uled to begin this summer. It will cost $12
million, which will be funded privately
from Athletic Department gifts, resources
and investment proceeds. located
between the Marie Hartwig Building and
Yost Ice Arena, the center will be available
to the 700-plus student athletes at the
University, as well as undergraduate and
graduate students. The Academic Center
will be extremely convenient for athletes
that are currently required to attend study
table at locations across campus.

A

r

Ii rLlf ~uIiIT dli
~ Lr1~ U~iAId Eu :1111

Operating surptus/de icit

4

FISCAL YEAR
1995/1996
1996/1997
1997/1998

DOLLARS
4,214,000
2,674,000
5,470,000

2000/2001
2001/2002
2002/2003

1,481,000
5,885,000
6,473,000

.^- ;- c °r -ate?'. . u. : :xxj~ - .. . I

1

Below is a list of the keys to
Michigan's financial turnaround:

I

INCREASED TICKET PRICES
" Football: increased $8 to $16 before the
2001 season.
" Basketball: increased $2 to $3 before the
2000-01 season.
U MARTINS COST CUTTING
*Instructed all coaches to take 7
percent out of their budget(except for
the three revenue sports - football,
men's basketball and hockey).
" Reduced number of senior administrative
staff members.
" Gave his first year's salary back to
University.
* NIKE CONTRACT
" Seven-year equipment and licensing con-
tract worth between $25 and $28 million.
e RADIO DEAL
e Signed five-year deal in 2001 with Host
Communications for exclusive rights to
football and men's basketball, which
Martin said was worth about $1 million.

| Sball/Softb
THE SKINNY: Martin
hopes to eventually
replace The Fish
(baseball) and sAlum-
ni Field (softball)
with new stadiums
next to the Varsity
Tennis Center.

r Fieldhouse
THE SKINNY: The football team currently
practices in Oosterbaan Fieldhouse. But
there's a problem: The field isn't regulation
size. As a result, Martin says that when the
team runs out routes,
players go out of
bounds. With the
extra space created
by the move of base-
ball and softball,
there will be room for
an extra fieldhouse.

4

Said Martin: "You know, there is a culture that
you have to change: 'Well, we have always done
it this way.' I heard one person say to me when I

THE SKINNY: Martin
describes Michigan Sta-
dium as "functionally
obsolete." For evidence,


I