Greene promises to make NIL a top priority as Pitt's new AD taken at Petersen Events Center (Pitt)

GREG MACAFEE / DKPS

New Pitt athletic director Allen Greene, middle, poses with Pitt chancellor Joan Gabel and Board of Trustees chairperson John J. Verbanac.

As Allen Greene took to the temporary stage on the floor of the Petersen Events Center he asked those in attendance a question that he already had the answer to: "Why Pitt?"

Why would a former SEC athletic director and administrator who is seen and described as one of the top college athletics administrators nationally, decide to leave one of the most powerful athletic conferences in the nation for the University of Pittsburgh? 

Well, while making it seem like he had deep roots in the Pittsburgh area and had been employed by the university for quite some time, Greene uniquely answered his question. He highlighted a list of reasons that included the university's head coaches, the school's donors, the history, culture and work ethic of the city and most importantly, the school's leadership: "Wanting to make sure that I have a leader and a colleague in the chancellor (Joan Gabel) and the board of trustees so we can make sure that we are aligned to do whatever we can that's in the best interest of the University of Pittsburgh. Athletics simply sits under the umbrella of the entire university and our job is to make sure that we elevate the brand, make sure people respect Pitt the way that we deserve to be respected and that we market Pitt, as the brand deserves to be in the upper echelon of higher education in this country. Those are the reasons why Pitt is it."

As Gabel would say later in the session, Greene's understanding of the university and the city that it resides in were big reasons why he was a good choice. But he also fits other criteria that the school was looking for. 

Gabel said Wednesday that the school was looking for a candidate with a "high financial acumen" and someone who could lead the university's athletic department into the new era of college athletics. However, the chancellor added that the school also wanted to find a candidate that fit what "our community needs, what our department needs and what our university needs and most importantly what our coaches and athletes need and I think that's exactly what we have with us now, both in Allen Greene and with his family, and that's something that's very exciting for all of us." 

There is a lot that Greene needs to address as he gets set to officially begin at Pitt on Nov. 1, but don't expect any major changes over the next month or so. The Notre Dame graduate and former Auburn athletic director said that the early parts of his tenure at Pitt will be spent listening and learning. He said, moving forward, he was going to sit back, listen and ask questions and once he gets acclimated with the university, then he could begin to implement different things. He doesn't want to make any quick decisions without a full understanding of the situation. 

However, Greene was upfront about how he will approach certain things, such as NIL. He said: "I think we've heard some of our coaches talk about NIL and it's not just them being selfish. The reality of the role that we are in today is that without having the resources to acquire talent, you're basically putting your coaches in a de-positioned spot. So we want to make sure, and I want to tell the community directly from me, is that NIL is going to be one of the top priorities that we have to make sure that our coaches have the resources they have to compete at the national level."

Most of that deals with fundraising, which is something Greene has had a history of success at during his previous stops. He recently helped Tennessee's athletic department increase its annual revenue by over 30% and his five-year stint at Auburn was highlighted by the construction of a $92 million, 233,000 square-foot football facility. It was the largest capital project in the athletic department's history and included two of the four biggest individual donations in the school's history.

But how does that translate to an ACC school? 

First, Greene highlighted his approach to fundraising. He said he's never asked for money but "I explain the vision, express the vision and let people enjoy the journey along with that vision."

Secondly, Greene and Gabel have an understanding that they need to be innovative with how they raise money. Greene said that starts with unlocking different streams of revenue and he believes those will come after he is able to develop a better understanding of the university's strengths, what has worked for them in the past and what they could do better moving forward. He also said taking calculated risks will be a part of his strategy moving forward.

"Now is not a time to sit back and put our feet up on the table and see what's happening in the world. We don't want to react, we want to be proactive. We want to find a way to better position ourselves," Greene said. "Those calculated risks are exactly that. We may not be perfect. We may make mistakes. We may make a poor decision, but we are going to make decisions and we are going to execute them in an appropriate manner."

Support from the surrounding community will also be crucial if Pitt plans to succeed in this new era of college athletics and when Greene, Gabel and Board of Trustees chairperson John J. Verbanac were asked why they think the school's donor base would choose to support Pitt's financial endeavors now, Verbanac said they always have.

"Pittsburgh has a rich history of demonstrating that it takes care of its own and it supports its own and this community has consistently found its way through the challenges that we have all faced and they've been varied over time," Verbanac said. "We are confident that Pittsburgh is in support of the University of Pittsburgh and its athletic program and will demonstrate that."

Why's that? 

"I think it's the interest that this is a sports city," Greene said. "There's no more pride in many cities like this and I think the Pitt community will answer the bell when we talk to them about the importance of talent acquisition, particularly through NIL and as this world changes we are going to continue to educate our folks in the community and help them buy-in to our overall vision."

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