Dr. Daryl Gross, Director of Athletics, Press Conference Transcript
Opening Statement on the partnership with Galaxy Communications
“Welcome everybody. This is a great day for us. We have a mission here in the athletics department and it’s to be extraordinary in everything we’re talking about, whether it’s sports, student-athlete welfare, facilities, coaches, our radio station. And so we are proud to tell you that we will be on with Galaxy Communications. Our flagship will be TK99 and this is going to be an extraordinary relationship.
“(Galaxy President and CEO) Ed Levine has done a wonderful job in securing the rights, working with me and with Joe Baldini from ISP and his group. This has been a wonderful negotiation. What we were looking for was a group that could help us enhance our message of being extraordinary. Ed and his crew stepped up in that regard in many, many ways. We wanted a radio station that is going to embrace us, where we were the priority, where everything revolved around Syracuse Athletics.
“We had some wonderful people in the race for this. They did a great job. There were some great proposals out there, but this one was extreme, extraordinary and brought all the variables of everything we thought we needed for SU Athletics as we think about us, not just in terms of regionally, but globally. That’s our sophistication as we have radio in New York City to satellite radio – Sirius Satellite Radio is on all over the world. We are really, really excited to have Ed Levine, who’s an SU grad and a Newhouse grad.
“What Ed did that was so special is that he really made us feel good about this relationship and all the variables that come into play, from our marketing to our corporate sponsorship, co-branding, and doing things that are going to help enhance all of our games. It’s not just going to be listening to games on the radio, it’s not just the game that’s going on. There are seven or eight other things that are happening at one time. We have some big plans and we’re going to have some fun with this.
“One of the things with this that I think is really great is that women’s basketball is going to be on the air. We had it on Orange All Access last season, of course. To have it on radio, too, is another tribute to what we are trying to do with women’s basketball as we move from Manley to the Dome, as we brought in a new coach, who’s just an amazing recruiter, and who’s going to be in the Final Four soon. Ed’s timing is perfect because that property is going to be a hot one. We dream here folks, just so you know. That’s part of the deal and we’re going to try to make it happen. Also we’re going to have lacrosse on FM and football and men’s basketball will be there, as well.”
“We are very, very excited and I speak for Joe Baldini and ISP as well, and (smiling) I know Coach Robinson will enjoy this because he’ll get extra time on the microphone next year. This is an exciting time for us in many regards. As we saw at the spring game, the football program has made leaps and bounds under Greg Robinson’s leadership. We know lacrosse is always going to be exciting. We talked about Q’s (women’s basketball) program. Jim Boeheim couldn’t be here because he’s on the road, but he knows Ed very well, and he’s really excited about this relationship, as well.”
“I forgot to add that our play-by-play commentator Matt Park is here with us and (Orange All-American) Chris Gedney will join him doing the color portion of football. Coach Mac will be doing a Monday night show and some pre- and post-game stuff.”
On Coach Mac’s role in this partnership
“Coach Mac has a couple of things going on. (Senior associate athletics director) Scott Sidwell of the Orange Club has stolen him away and put him to work. He’s been an ambassador for us on the fundraising front, which has been outstanding. We are bringing him with us whenever we can. We found a way to keep him in the mix. He’s so important to us and such a great guy, so he’ll be around probably more so now than he was before.”
On Midnight Madness for basketball
“We are still trying to figure out the specifics, but whatever it is, it will be funky. Juli Boeheim will be involved, along with our great marketing crew. (Assistant athletics director) Lael (Chealander) and her staff will make it happen.”
