Q & A: An interview with Dave O'Brien

Dave O'Brien, Northeastern's new Director of Athletics, sat down with Ken Gornstein for the following question and answer session, which appeared in the November issue of the Northeastern Magazine.

Q. What was the major selling point that attracted you to Northeastern?

A. The very bold ambition that the university become one of the hundred best national universities. I was very attracted by President Freeland’s and the vice presidents’ articulation of that goal and their plan for achieving it.

Q. What do you consider the greatest success of your career in athletics administration to date?

A. There are three that stand out, all a little bit different. I came onboard at Temple University when they were facing an NCAA certification review, and the work my staff did in a very quick period of time to get us through the certification process in a positive way stands as one of the best achievements I’ve been associated with. Second, at Long Beach State we took the idea of building a basketball arena and physical education center and turned it into the most spectacular building you’d ever want to see. It’s an eighteen-story pyramid with cantilevered seats that’s visible from Los Angeles, twenty-two miles away. The third thing I’m most proud of is that at Temple—in a largely commuter campus environment, where fans have many significant college and professional alternatives—we increased football attendance from 4,000 a game, before I arrived, to over 20,000, and increased basketball attendance from 3,200 a game to 8,500.

Q. What’s your top priority during your first year as Northeastern AD?

A. To increase the ambition and aspirations of the athletics department, and to communicate that message to student-athletes, coaches, administrators, fans, the media, and people in the college athletics industry.

Q. Name the athletics program about which you’d say, "I want Northeastern to be like that."

A. The two that come to mind are Long Beach State and Stanford. A couple of years ago, Long Beach State was the number-one competitive athletic program at its level [IAAA] in the country, according to the Sears [Directors’] Cup. So I think that’s something Northeastern certainly wants to aspire to. Stanford is an example of a university that’s able to graduate its athletes at a phenomenal rate and yet achieve tremendous competitive success. We want to try to emulate what they’re able to do, as well.

Q. Have you been promised additional resources to improve the caliber of the Northeastern athletics program?

A. I’ve neither been promised, nor have I asked. When you look at the [Northeastern] budget, one of the things you see is that the institution’s commitment to athletics is pretty significant. What’s missing right now is the athletics department’s ability to go out and generate revenue by building a significant fan base. And that’s really the challenge as I walk in the door: Can we build a fan base, and can we generate revenue?

Q. Can Northeastern achieve national recognition by remaining part of America East?

A. Yes, although it will be a challenge. Years ago when I was at Long Beach State, we were a member of the Big West Conference. And by and large, the Big West Conference, while very competitive, with good schools and good athletics programs, wasn’t playing at the national level in men’s basketball. However, one member—UNLV [University of Nevada at Las Vegas]—was playing at the national level. What that demonstrated to me was an institution can transcend its conference if it puts resources into the program that let it compete at the national level. And if in its nonconference schedule, it’s willing to play anybody, anywhere, at any time.

Q. During your tenure at Temple, you oversaw construction of a new football facility. Do you have hopes of doing that at Northeastern?

A. Absolutely. Whether that will happen will depend on us in athletics. Northeastern has, by and large, transformed itself from a commuter campus into a residential campus. Perhaps the only piece missing to truly legitimize itself as a residential campus is a multipurpose facility that fulfills intramural, recreational, and athletic purposes. So the question isn’t, Would it be desirable to build a multiuse facility on campus? That answer is yes. The question is, How can we pay for it? And the answer will depend on the success of the development office and the athletics department in going out there and finding individuals and corporations who share the dreams we all have for Northeastern.

Q. What criteria do you use in judging whether a coach has been successful?

A. I’ve articulated three goals for the athletics program to be concentrating on, and all start with the letter "C": classroom success, community involvement, and competitive excellence. First, I would ask a coach: Are you graduating your student-athletes? Are you recruiting the kind of student-athletes who enhance the academic profile of Northeastern? Second, I would ask: What is the record of your student-athletes in community activities? I think it’s incumbent on us as educators to make sure we teach our student-athletes they have an obligation to give back [to society]. And finally, we’re in a business that measures itself with a scoreboard. So I would assess whether that coach has been competitive on the field.

Q. Do you endorse the concept that some student-athletes—particularly those in the marquee sports—should be paid?

A. No. I believe that student-athletes are receiving a significant benefit with regard to their scholarship and the opportunity to compete and showcase their talents. I think the NCAA rules are quite adequate regarding compensation for student-athletes.

Q. How do you put your law degree to work in your job as AD?

A. A law degree is most advantageous in the way you’re trained to attack problems. The thought process an attorney is trained to follow has benefited me in developing my management style and helping me deal with administrative tasks. From a practical standpoint, it’s helped me in a number of areas. Coaches’ contracts can be complex. Contracts with manufacturers or apparel companies can likewise be complex. [And there are] facility agreements, fundraising agreements, corporate sponsorship agreements. So there are more opportunities to use the law degree on a daily basis than I would have imagined years ago.

For an online version of the November 2002 Northeastern Magazine, click here.