Fundraising, fundraising and more fundraising.
Oh, and if St. John's University's new athletic director, Ed Cull, has the time, he should spend a few more hours raising money.
During his inaugural press conference on Tuesday, Cull made it clear that his first goal is to raise as much money as possible.
That's the job now, the era of name, image and likeness (NIL), and if the House v. NCAA settlement is approved, revenue sharing with athletes is expected to happen sooner rather than later.
“It's all about revenue generation,” said Cull, the former athletic director at Fordham University. “Even with the settlement with the House, I don't see NIL going away. … The key to fundraising is really establishing a plan that alumni and investors can be passionate about. People want to give to things they believe in, things that will see a return on their investment, and people they can trust.”
“There's unity here from top to bottom, from the board on down, and there's an attitude of, 'OK, St. John's is serious, they're passionate,' which will generate even more donor interest.”
Cull's history as a fundraising powerhouse was a big factor in his hiring, along with his familiarity with the school, having worked there from 2011 to 2017.
The Queens student raised $7.6 million at Fordham University during the fiscal year that ended in June, breaking the university's record for the third consecutive year.
He established the New Era Fund for men's and women's basketball, which led to improved facilities for the programs, increased charter flights and additional staffing.
Under Kuhl's watch, ticket revenues and attendance increased significantly.
“I am confident Ed is up to the job,” said Chairman Brian Shanley. “We were also looking for someone who could navigate the complex relationships essential to athletic success. To be successful, we need to work collaboratively with donors and corporate sponsors, and I am confident Ed has those skills.”
“Everybody I've talked to has raved about him,” St. John's coach Rick Pitino added.
The point is, Cal is very close with St. John's University's major donor, billionaire Mike Lepore, who made a seven-figure NIL donation to the Johnnies this season.
But Ripoll's deep pockets alone aren't enough: Cal has transformed the sports culture at Fordham, generating excitement among alumni and students.
He plans to do the same in Queens, where Cull believes he can “absolutely” surpass the $7.6 million he raised at Fordham University last year.
“I think Mike will certainly help us financially as a benefactor and supporter,” said Cull, a former Stony Brook High School baseball player who later studied business administration at St. John's University as a graduate student, “but he represents an opportunity for a lot of our alumni to come back and understand our plans, become investors, be part of the process and share ownership with us. It's now or never, instead of sitting on the sidelines and waiting.”
“I want to touch everybody. I need everybody. It's nice to have a full house, that's fine, but I want it to be full every day. I want these people's ideas. How do we get all these people back in the mix and be passionate, generous, collaborative, engaged, and part of the process? I think there's a lot of opportunity to do a lot of things that we haven't done yet. That excites me. This is the only way it's going to work. Waiting for one person is not a good strategy.”
