John, she is an absolute stud and I’m sure you sensed that in-person. Our youngest graduated from OSU in June and I had a chance to watch her in a couple different settings that weekend. Powerful, wise presence. I’m devastated by where we find ourselves, but her wisdom and strength give me some hope. She is no BS and may get us out of this mess.
Am I the only one disappointed in the lack of an answer on marketing? Passing it off to CW.... What about social media presence, other marketing strategies...
Murthy, Barnes and Gould are killing it and I am so thankful for them... But why are they so empty on understanding the marketing side of of this???
Being a cynic by nature, I also felt her response on the marketing question was vaporware but we're all just in the peanut gallery, not on the field of play. I think the overall tenor of her responses in this interview was solid and I believe she's about as competent and tough a person as we're going to get to navigate OSU athletics out of the mine field it currently finds itself in.
OSU's sports marketing has been woeful since before dinosours like Hal Cowan roamed the earth antagonizing the media he was supposed to be schmoozing. I have to believe that big donors and others with a helluva lot more influence than you or I have rattled the AD and President's cage about this subject. At this point, I think the vast majority of us are strapped in for the ride and can only hope those in the cockpit have the skills to fly through the turbulence.
I don’t think they are. They’re highly intelligent people with good advisors and resources. I think we’ll see some good results and hear about them at the appropriate time.
OSU and WSU have a terrible history of understanding marketing.
I also was president of a teachers organization that was national. The executive committee were all scientists and extremely intelligent academics... They never could understand proper marketing even though I tried to explain it to them... Then initiated a successful two year marketing campaign... They still never got it.
I think the conference would still be together and thriving if the university presidents had been a lot more like her, and a lot less like Carol Folt, Michael Crow, Ed Ray, Ana Mari Cauce, and Karl Scholz… what a clown show.
Thanks, LarryE! OSU Alumni here hoping the DAWGS kick A__ and take names in the BIG 10 this fall!! You will always be PAC 12 Brothers to us west coast homers!!!
Understood Jim. I am sure there are many who will disagree with me, and I understand their position. The PAC 12 was a great conference and poised to be right back in the national conversation on an on-going basis. Mike Bohn and a lack of effective leadership at the top was the beginning of the end.
This is why we are a part of the BFT/Tribe. There is no place else we can get this type of reporting all the way around!! I am an OSU Alumni, and I love this however I also love the interviews with Dan Lanning, WSU officials, etc. I am in for the ENTIRE ride!!! Keep it up my good man!!
Having an international family, including a niece from India, it’s easy to resonate with the president and with what she (and the other women leaders) will achieve. It’s a miracle of fate that the Huangs are Beaver grads and establishing the research facility at OSU. It’s not shoes, but maybe something a little more relevant.
When she came aboard I was an immediate fan. Brilliant, level headed engineer (takes one to know one?) and I was excited about the potential she represented for the academic work of the University. She has, somehow, juggled all these other balls as well, and I look forward to the day that the athletic business is just another part of her routine day, and she can direct the majority of her energy and judgement to the growth of the academic promise at Oregon State University. Just sayin', Charlie
Such a wise, articulate and honest woman. Her interview radiates all those same qualities I saw in her when she testified in person before the legislative board in Salem several months ago. So glad to have her at the helm in Corvallis.
I found the statement "We won’t act unethically ever, but we have to do what’s right for OSU.“ quite interesting with an immediate impression that a potential rebuild with just a handleful of MW teams was a nonstarter if OSU cannot get the invite from Big12 or ACC and the only path would be the reverse merger with the full MW conference. But then JM goes on to say “...I do think that people act in their self-interest, which is not surprising. I wouldn’t say unethical.“ This makes me think that the MW conference media deal ends in Summer of 2026 which is when PAC12 grace period ends. And it would be the team's leaving during the end of their current agreement versus jumping ship or poaching. If the PAC12 offers invites for the 26-27 season does this get around the poaching stipulations in the current scheduling agreement. Or does the PAC12 abandon the agreement for 25-26 season so it's not beholden to the poaching stipulation? Would this route keep the war chest mostly intact as not having to pay exit fees and the likes as the conference builds to the 8 minimum to be recognized as a conference? Would the conference need to have an temporary extension to the grace period so it can rebuild? Would the PAC12 need to have a deal in place before hand that would prove to the handful that they would make more in the rebuilt PAC12 then in the MW?
I listened to an interview with the AD of Boise State recently. His comments similar to President Murthy. In essence he said that the MWC was united in their mission, however, at the end of the day, Boise State is its own entity and will act in its best interest. All of this to say, the smart, top end programs in the MWC are keeping their powder dry in case there is a PAC rebuild. If that is the case, they will shed the bottom end of the conference quickly and move on.
The only way I see that prevents the type of hurt that fans that OSU and WSU have faced this last year is to truly create a promotion and relegation format with the PAC12 being the top and MW being the lower. This would mean a reverse merger of sorts that way no school is left in the wind. And then having a minimum athletic investment built into the combined conference for them to remain that way they are always investing to be better.
I had the same exact thought when I read her answers. If they end up rebuilding the Pac 12, they will most definitely cherry pick the top programs from the MWC.
If they can. It’s not a done deal. Schools can always choose a different route. OSU and WSU and the PAC-X need to produce something exciting worth joining. (I believe they can.)
The one glaring thing I noticed in your interview with Jayathi was she never answered one of the most important questions, that being had the Pac12 hired a PR firm. I believe that is crucial for the branding going forward. Just look at our neighbor's to the south to see what good branding and image can do.
John has discussed branding, and directed "criticism" at OSU a bit. I do have a practical question/observation on that. OSU is nearing 16,000 season ticket sales in football. (Up from 2023) Oregon is probably around 37,000 in sales after hitting 43,000 in 2011. OSU is closer to population centers in Salem and Portland. OSU has a larger enrollment and more total graduates. While OIT leads starting salaries of graduates, OSU still exceeds starting salaries of UO graduates. Why don't more Beaver connected people buy season tickets at Reser?
Oregon has sold out this years allotment of season tickets. Reportedly 10,000 new season ticket holders for 24. The 37,000 is not accurate in my opinion.
Not sure what is a "sell-out" for either OSU or UO? They have to reserve tickets for students, band, visiting team allocation, etc. If students pay something for tickets, is that part of the sell-out number? Perhaps interesting questions for followup at all four NW schools by Canzano?
Backdoor, I would guess it has to be at least 43,000, given that was the high number in 2011. I assume that number took into account all of the other allocations you mentioned. I have always understood that student ticket sales are not included, but my memory and $7.00 will get you a cup of coffee.
Sales will drop next year, without Ohio State fans buying season tickets for access to one game. Check the secondary market for every other game, when they will sell those seats.
From columns I read, the 10K increase was from a lower base as season ticket sales have fallen since the early 2010's. Will it be back to 40K plus? Probably as there is interest is seeing Big Ten programs visiting. Likewise, hope OSU gets a good butts in seats number from the Purdue visit the week after fellow Big Ten member Oregon visits.
JC interviews OSU prez Murthy and Backdoor is here talking about Oregon season ticket sales and UO grad salaries. Did you even read the article and have anything relevant to say about the interview? Nope. lolz
The question was a followup to branding issue covered in the interview. And, a legitimate question, OSU has more graduates, closer to Portland and Salem, why doesn't it sell more season tickets? Since Oregon has more liberal arts graduates, the starting salaries of those new alums at OSU are higher for higher disposable income. Question remains - why 16,000 sales? UO is just one comparison, others could be made. As of June, Boise STate had sold 18,500.
Ticket sales are affected by branding. TV exposure is affected by branding. TV game network is affected by branding. Fan t-shirts, hats, etc. affected by branding. Canzano has been pretty consistent in discussing the importance of branding to the $$$ health of programs at WSU and OSU.
And where would we be without your valuable insights RE: OSU branding, OSU ticket sales, OSU media valuation and of course, the your projected TV viewership numbers with OSU on the CW this fall. It can all be summed up as above: SOS
Building a brand and an image is just a tad easier when someone is throwing money at you and buying lots of advertising spots in all the major sports media.
I don't like how she passed it off to CW... Maybe a part, but that should not be the full strategy. Social media? Ads? Billboards in areas outside of Corvallis region?
I do wish John would push more examples like the marketing for the after dark conference media night.
It was great set up, great execution, great emotions...
But NO ONE SAW IT!!!!
It currently has only 4.2k views, its 4weeks old no one cares anymore, they missed the boat... That's NOT good
I think they are in a fishbowl, see the marketing in front of the eyes and think it's good...
I am in the robotics industry, I think regular readers know. I am also an OSU engineering school alum (degreed from ASU, however). OSU has one of the better robotics programs in the United States, led by Bill Smart, with whom I have met. OSU has one of the few robotics doctorate programs in the country. One of the key humanoid robotics companies in the country was spun off from Bill's program, Agility Robotics in Albany/Tangent. Nvidia is now very focused on robotics, which aligns nicely with Bill Smart's program. AI is very beneficial to humanoid robots, which need to learn their environment using multiple senses as they experience it, just like humans do. This is a long way from the football discussion. But on the business and marketing side, it all should matter for OSU.
Just had this thought: Bi-pedal robots (mostly around the Sony Asimo (dogs) and Honda Aibo (bipedal) robots have been competing in soccer tournaments for decades as a college robotics training process called RoboCup (kind of a college level version of BattleBot for HSers). Of course Dr. Huang knows all about this league. It is legendary in the AI circles. What if there were an American football version of this with more modern robots running AI on Nvidia chips? If OSU was then leveraged as the center of the universe for that effort, Beaver Nation could surpass Nike and Eugene in sports significance, If you really want to geek out, read here.
President Murthy and OSU are in a precarious position with the "Be patient and trust us" strategy. Sounds a lot like what was the official line for years, and it not only didn't work, it was a mistake that was a part of what got us into the troubling position we are in.
The "everybody is working hard" message also lands with a thud. A lot of people worked hard throughout the Pac-12, and that bore only mixed results at best.
Some incremental progress soon as a proof of concept if nothing else is needed if people are to remain committed to a course they want to be committed to, but need something tangible to build on.
Sir, Methinks your reading comprehension is lacking. Reread the piece and absorb the content. There are obviously sensitive issues being discussed and pursued which are likely under cover of NDA’s. She handled the questions with subtle brilliance.
While I agree with much of your summation, you may have missed her comments regarding the transparency of a public institution vs. the confidentiality of negogiations required between a non-public conference and its network partners. Of course everyone wants to know what's going on behind the scenes, but let the leaders do their jobs. It tough to make a poker hand when you're only holding a pair of deuces.
I have to agree with you AndyPanda. For last several years the "Be patient and trust us" strategy is what was coming out of the Pac-12 and look where that got us. With the Pac-12 crashing and the Traitorous 10 leaving the "Be patient and trust us" just does not make me feel better about the future of OSU sports.
John, she is an absolute stud and I’m sure you sensed that in-person. Our youngest graduated from OSU in June and I had a chance to watch her in a couple different settings that weekend. Powerful, wise presence. I’m devastated by where we find ourselves, but her wisdom and strength give me some hope. She is no BS and may get us out of this mess.
She's authentic and candid.
Very well said Bill! I moved back to Corvallis and see her around periodically. She is WHO WE NEED at the helm right now!!!
I'm hanging on to that thought Kent.
Hoping for some positive news in the next 4 to 6 months Bill!!
Agree 100%
Am I the only one disappointed in the lack of an answer on marketing? Passing it off to CW.... What about social media presence, other marketing strategies...
Murthy, Barnes and Gould are killing it and I am so thankful for them... But why are they so empty on understanding the marketing side of of this???
Being a cynic by nature, I also felt her response on the marketing question was vaporware but we're all just in the peanut gallery, not on the field of play. I think the overall tenor of her responses in this interview was solid and I believe she's about as competent and tough a person as we're going to get to navigate OSU athletics out of the mine field it currently finds itself in.
OSU's sports marketing has been woeful since before dinosours like Hal Cowan roamed the earth antagonizing the media he was supposed to be schmoozing. I have to believe that big donors and others with a helluva lot more influence than you or I have rattled the AD and President's cage about this subject. At this point, I think the vast majority of us are strapped in for the ride and can only hope those in the cockpit have the skills to fly through the turbulence.
I don’t think they are. They’re highly intelligent people with good advisors and resources. I think we’ll see some good results and hear about them at the appropriate time.
I'll believe that when I see it.
OSU and WSU have a terrible history of understanding marketing.
I also was president of a teachers organization that was national. The executive committee were all scientists and extremely intelligent academics... They never could understand proper marketing even though I tried to explain it to them... Then initiated a successful two year marketing campaign... They still never got it.
I'm getting PTSD just thinking about it lol
A: You mean Western Oregon? Haha
The orange blood is already pumping through her veins. Go Beavs!
That was a surprising comment... funny too.
What a great line! It had me laughing out loud.
OSU is lucky to have such a leader who gives Beaver Nation a sense of confidence heading into uncharted territory.
Many leaders are delusional these days. Not Jayathi Murthy:
“But it’s done. It’s a year old. We have to look forward and we have to start architecting our own future.”
Refreshing.
She has a healthy mindset. She'll need help from the ecosystem, but I like that she's a fighter.
Wonderful interview. Engaging questions and well thought out, reasoned answers. OSU is lucky to have her as their leader.
Thanks Stevo. Appreciate that you are here.
I think the conference would still be together and thriving if the university presidents had been a lot more like her, and a lot less like Carol Folt, Michael Crow, Ed Ray, Ana Mari Cauce, and Karl Scholz… what a clown show.
The presidents went off the rails, for sure. Failure of leadership.
Agree completely!
Well said Johnny!
A Duck here saying good on her and good on the interviewer. She is an impressive person.
Agree. Good to see smart people in those jobs.
If I was an OSU fan I'd be very confident in this impressive leader. Great interview. I'm a UW alum/fan pulling for OSU/WSU to succeed.
Thanks, LarryE! OSU Alumni here hoping the DAWGS kick A__ and take names in the BIG 10 this fall!! You will always be PAC 12 Brothers to us west coast homers!!!
As a Coug, I must respectfully disagree! 😹😹
Understood Jim. I am sure there are many who will disagree with me, and I understand their position. The PAC 12 was a great conference and poised to be right back in the national conversation on an on-going basis. Mike Bohn and a lack of effective leadership at the top was the beginning of the end.
Great interview JC!!!
This is why we are a part of the BFT/Tribe. There is no place else we can get this type of reporting all the way around!! I am an OSU Alumni, and I love this however I also love the interviews with Dan Lanning, WSU officials, etc. I am in for the ENTIRE ride!!! Keep it up my good man!!
Thanks Kent. Appreciate you are here for it.
Having an international family, including a niece from India, it’s easy to resonate with the president and with what she (and the other women leaders) will achieve. It’s a miracle of fate that the Huangs are Beaver grads and establishing the research facility at OSU. It’s not shoes, but maybe something a little more relevant.
Great interview report, John. Thanks
A LOT more relevant.
It’s a new ballgame soaring above shoes!
When she came aboard I was an immediate fan. Brilliant, level headed engineer (takes one to know one?) and I was excited about the potential she represented for the academic work of the University. She has, somehow, juggled all these other balls as well, and I look forward to the day that the athletic business is just another part of her routine day, and she can direct the majority of her energy and judgement to the growth of the academic promise at Oregon State University. Just sayin', Charlie
Noted that her trip was to India for work, work work... interesting.
We’re in very capable hands.
Such a wise, articulate and honest woman. Her interview radiates all those same qualities I saw in her when she testified in person before the legislative board in Salem several months ago. So glad to have her at the helm in Corvallis.
She is impressive.
I found the statement "We won’t act unethically ever, but we have to do what’s right for OSU.“ quite interesting with an immediate impression that a potential rebuild with just a handleful of MW teams was a nonstarter if OSU cannot get the invite from Big12 or ACC and the only path would be the reverse merger with the full MW conference. But then JM goes on to say “...I do think that people act in their self-interest, which is not surprising. I wouldn’t say unethical.“ This makes me think that the MW conference media deal ends in Summer of 2026 which is when PAC12 grace period ends. And it would be the team's leaving during the end of their current agreement versus jumping ship or poaching. If the PAC12 offers invites for the 26-27 season does this get around the poaching stipulations in the current scheduling agreement. Or does the PAC12 abandon the agreement for 25-26 season so it's not beholden to the poaching stipulation? Would this route keep the war chest mostly intact as not having to pay exit fees and the likes as the conference builds to the 8 minimum to be recognized as a conference? Would the conference need to have an temporary extension to the grace period so it can rebuild? Would the PAC12 need to have a deal in place before hand that would prove to the handful that they would make more in the rebuilt PAC12 then in the MW?
I listened to an interview with the AD of Boise State recently. His comments similar to President Murthy. In essence he said that the MWC was united in their mission, however, at the end of the day, Boise State is its own entity and will act in its best interest. All of this to say, the smart, top end programs in the MWC are keeping their powder dry in case there is a PAC rebuild. If that is the case, they will shed the bottom end of the conference quickly and move on.
There are about 8-9 schools not in the P4 who have value above the rest in G5.
The only way I see that prevents the type of hurt that fans that OSU and WSU have faced this last year is to truly create a promotion and relegation format with the PAC12 being the top and MW being the lower. This would mean a reverse merger of sorts that way no school is left in the wind. And then having a minimum athletic investment built into the combined conference for them to remain that way they are always investing to be better.
Your theory is as good as any other.
A more refined way to express what opinions are like.
Well, as they say, the first rule of a knife fight is that there are no rules to a knife fight.
I had the same exact thought when I read her answers. If they end up rebuilding the Pac 12, they will most definitely cherry pick the top programs from the MWC.
If they can. It’s not a done deal. Schools can always choose a different route. OSU and WSU and the PAC-X need to produce something exciting worth joining. (I believe they can.)
The one glaring thing I noticed in your interview with Jayathi was she never answered one of the most important questions, that being had the Pac12 hired a PR firm. I believe that is crucial for the branding going forward. Just look at our neighbor's to the south to see what good branding and image can do.
John has discussed branding, and directed "criticism" at OSU a bit. I do have a practical question/observation on that. OSU is nearing 16,000 season ticket sales in football. (Up from 2023) Oregon is probably around 37,000 in sales after hitting 43,000 in 2011. OSU is closer to population centers in Salem and Portland. OSU has a larger enrollment and more total graduates. While OIT leads starting salaries of graduates, OSU still exceeds starting salaries of UO graduates. Why don't more Beaver connected people buy season tickets at Reser?
Oregon has sold out this years allotment of season tickets. Reportedly 10,000 new season ticket holders for 24. The 37,000 is not accurate in my opinion.
I've read that too. UO has sold out all of its season's tickets.
Not sure what is a "sell-out" for either OSU or UO? They have to reserve tickets for students, band, visiting team allocation, etc. If students pay something for tickets, is that part of the sell-out number? Perhaps interesting questions for followup at all four NW schools by Canzano?
Backdoor, I would guess it has to be at least 43,000, given that was the high number in 2011. I assume that number took into account all of the other allocations you mentioned. I have always understood that student ticket sales are not included, but my memory and $7.00 will get you a cup of coffee.
Sales will drop next year, without Ohio State fans buying season tickets for access to one game. Check the secondary market for every other game, when they will sell those seats.
From columns I read, the 10K increase was from a lower base as season ticket sales have fallen since the early 2010's. Will it be back to 40K plus? Probably as there is interest is seeing Big Ten programs visiting. Likewise, hope OSU gets a good butts in seats number from the Purdue visit the week after fellow Big Ten member Oregon visits.
JC interviews OSU prez Murthy and Backdoor is here talking about Oregon season ticket sales and UO grad salaries. Did you even read the article and have anything relevant to say about the interview? Nope. lolz
Just his SOS different day.
The question was a followup to branding issue covered in the interview. And, a legitimate question, OSU has more graduates, closer to Portland and Salem, why doesn't it sell more season tickets? Since Oregon has more liberal arts graduates, the starting salaries of those new alums at OSU are higher for higher disposable income. Question remains - why 16,000 sales? UO is just one comparison, others could be made. As of June, Boise STate had sold 18,500.
I think you're getting branding confused with season ticket sales.
Also, we're both obsessed with Oregon State. Me, with all the things good. You, with all the bad. Carry on.
Ticket sales are affected by branding. TV exposure is affected by branding. TV game network is affected by branding. Fan t-shirts, hats, etc. affected by branding. Canzano has been pretty consistent in discussing the importance of branding to the $$$ health of programs at WSU and OSU.
And where would we be without your valuable insights RE: OSU branding, OSU ticket sales, OSU media valuation and of course, the your projected TV viewership numbers with OSU on the CW this fall. It can all be summed up as above: SOS
Carry on.
Building a brand and an image is just a tad easier when someone is throwing money at you and buying lots of advertising spots in all the major sports media.
I don't like how she passed it off to CW... Maybe a part, but that should not be the full strategy. Social media? Ads? Billboards in areas outside of Corvallis region?
I do wish John would push more examples like the marketing for the after dark conference media night.
It was great set up, great execution, great emotions...
But NO ONE SAW IT!!!!
It currently has only 4.2k views, its 4weeks old no one cares anymore, they missed the boat... That's NOT good
I think they are in a fishbowl, see the marketing in front of the eyes and think it's good...
I am in the robotics industry, I think regular readers know. I am also an OSU engineering school alum (degreed from ASU, however). OSU has one of the better robotics programs in the United States, led by Bill Smart, with whom I have met. OSU has one of the few robotics doctorate programs in the country. One of the key humanoid robotics companies in the country was spun off from Bill's program, Agility Robotics in Albany/Tangent. Nvidia is now very focused on robotics, which aligns nicely with Bill Smart's program. AI is very beneficial to humanoid robots, which need to learn their environment using multiple senses as they experience it, just like humans do. This is a long way from the football discussion. But on the business and marketing side, it all should matter for OSU.
Very interested to see what becomes of that Nvidia partnership.
Herr is a hint. I will keep you posted as I learn more. https://agilityrobotics.com/content/how-ai-powerhouse-nvidia-validates-humanoid-robots-with-new-initiative
Just had this thought: Bi-pedal robots (mostly around the Sony Asimo (dogs) and Honda Aibo (bipedal) robots have been competing in soccer tournaments for decades as a college robotics training process called RoboCup (kind of a college level version of BattleBot for HSers). Of course Dr. Huang knows all about this league. It is legendary in the AI circles. What if there were an American football version of this with more modern robots running AI on Nvidia chips? If OSU was then leveraged as the center of the universe for that effort, Beaver Nation could surpass Nike and Eugene in sports significance, If you really want to geek out, read here.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1609/aimag.v35i3.2549
President Murthy and OSU are in a precarious position with the "Be patient and trust us" strategy. Sounds a lot like what was the official line for years, and it not only didn't work, it was a mistake that was a part of what got us into the troubling position we are in.
The "everybody is working hard" message also lands with a thud. A lot of people worked hard throughout the Pac-12, and that bore only mixed results at best.
Some incremental progress soon as a proof of concept if nothing else is needed if people are to remain committed to a course they want to be committed to, but need something tangible to build on.
Sir, Methinks your reading comprehension is lacking. Reread the piece and absorb the content. There are obviously sensitive issues being discussed and pursued which are likely under cover of NDA’s. She handled the questions with subtle brilliance.
While I agree with much of your summation, you may have missed her comments regarding the transparency of a public institution vs. the confidentiality of negogiations required between a non-public conference and its network partners. Of course everyone wants to know what's going on behind the scenes, but let the leaders do their jobs. It tough to make a poker hand when you're only holding a pair of deuces.
The CW deal is tangible incremental progress.
That CW deal was far better than I believed they'd get.
True, but I'm thinking more long term, and a conference home.
I have to agree with you AndyPanda. For last several years the "Be patient and trust us" strategy is what was coming out of the Pac-12 and look where that got us. With the Pac-12 crashing and the Traitorous 10 leaving the "Be patient and trust us" just does not make me feel better about the future of OSU sports.