Community Letter from AD Alan Haller - Michigan State University Athletics

Dear Spartans,

This weekend, Spartans from all eras will return to East Lansing for Homecoming and rekindle their connection to all things MSU. It’s a chance to continue longstanding traditions or an opportunity to create new ones. Being a Spartan means being a part of something larger than ourselves. It’s about being a part of community – a community that takes pride in representing and supporting the Green and White.

On-Field Achievements

Mid-October is always an active time in Athletics. Fall sports are in the second half of their seasons, with many starting to eye the stretch run along with postseason opportunities. Winter sports are either underway or gearing up for the start of their season. Across the board, our department is filled with stories of on-field excellence.

Four Spartan programs are currently ranked in the national polls, including No. 21 women’s soccer which hit No. 1 in the nation for the first time in school history earlier this season. Ranked teams also include No. 4 ice hockey, No. 21 women’s golf and No. 30 women’s cross country, with men’s cross country just outside the Top 30 and men’s golf receiving votes in its national poll. This number will certainly grow as rankings for more winter sports become available. Among others, our gymnastics program could likely open the winter in the Top 10. Team rankings for men’s tennis will be released in the winter, but the preseason individual rankings have Ozan Baris ranked No. 1 and Aristotelis Thanos at No. 72, with the doubles pairing of Baris/Thanos at No. 22 and Max Sheldon and Matthew Forbes at No. 54. Baris just captured the singles crown at the ITA Men’s Midwest Regional Championships, becoming the first-ever Spartan to claim this title. In women’s and men’s golf, Brooke Biermann (#28) and Ashton McCulloch (#26) are ranked among the top 30 individuals in the nation in their respective sports.

Community Engagement/Support

Spartan Athletics is most successful when everyone works as a team. This fall has provided numerous examples of our Spartan community providing outstanding support for our programs, and for that I am deeply appreciative.

Your support has been on display for every home football game. Despite a weather delay in the season opener, your presence and your enthusiasm were not deterred. We’re especially grateful for our student section which features a record number of students (under the current configuration) this season. You’ve shown up week after week in large numbers and provided enthusiastic support for our team.

Your support has followed our football team throughout the nation. From games at Maryland and Boston College on the East Coast all the way across the country to the Pacific Northwest in Oregon, Spartan fans have shown up in large numbers to support the Green and White.

Spartan passion extends to our other programs, in particular our men’s and women’s soccer teams which have enjoyed bleacher-filling crowds on multiple occasions. It culminated a couple weeks ago, when a DeMartin Stadium record crowd of 5,145 found every space available to watch the Spartan women’s soccer team defeat Michigan, 1-0. At Munn Ice Arena, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this season, we are sold out on a season basis. But don’t worry if you want to see Spartan hockey – standing room only tickets are available every game day.

Future Budget Update

I’m incredibly grateful for the financial support many of you have provided to Michigan State Athletics. Philanthropic giving to the Spartan Fund is up over last year’s totals at this time, and your gifts are making a difference. Your ongoing commitment allows us to pursue championships and compete against the very best, not only in the Big Ten but across the nation. Our success is not possible without your backing, and in the years to come it will be even more imperative.

As the House vs. NCAA class action lawsuit continues to move through the legal process, with final approval scheduled for early April, Spartan Athletics continues to plan for its impact on our department’s budget beginning in 2025-26. As the settlement is currently structured, athletic departments will be able to provide $22-23 million in revenue sharing directly to student-athletes. Furthermore, the NCAA will pay approximately $3 billion in back damages to NCAA Division I student-athletes who played from 2016-21. To cover those costs, Michigan State’s annual revenue share from the NCAA will be $1.5 million less for the next 10 years.

The pending settlement also includes changes related to roster management. Previously, each sport was limited in the number of scholarships they could provide. The scholarship limitations have been removed, however, every NCAA sport will have a limit to the number of individuals on the roster beginning with fall sports in 2025. This could allow for additional financial opportunities for more Spartan student-athletes, as institutions will be able to make individual decisions regarding the number of scholarships provided for each sport.

While final numbers are yet to be determined, it’s estimated that next year’s athletic department budget (2025-26), when factoring in increased scholarship numbers, revenue sharing and a reduction in NCAA funds, will include approximately $25-30 million in additional expenses.

I recognize this will be a challenging time in college athletics, but I believe through your support that Michigan State will remain a leader on the national landscape. President Kevin Guskiewicz and I are committed to ensuring members of our generous alumni base are included in our journey forward. As a department, we will continue to explore new opportunities for both revenue generation and cost containment. However, without a doubt, your continued generosity and involvement will be paramount to our quest for excellence.

Homecoming

For those returning to campus for Homecoming, we can’t wait to welcome you back to Michigan State. It’s very likely you might notice something new since the last time you stepped on campus. As a university and an athletic department we continue to move forward while remaining true to our core values and mission. We will continue to work to make you proud as Spartans, understanding that your support is an integral part of our success.

Regardless of where your personal journey might have taken you since you left Michigan State, there’s always a unique bond with your alma mater. Last weekend, I was fortunate to have a first-hand view of Coach Izzo’s homecoming as he took his team back to his alma mater for an exhibition game against Northern Michigan.

Izzo is a Spartan for Life, but you could tell the love he had for both NMU and the entire Upper Peninsula. I believe that same affinity for our alma mater lives in many of us. It’s part of the reason I returned to Michigan State after my NFL career ended – and it’s why many of you remain so connected to Michigan State. We, too, are Spartans For Life.

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