Tuscaloosa, AL (Sports Network) - Alabama has named Bill Battle its new athletic director.
Battle, a former Alabama football player for legendary coach Bear Bryant, will replace Mal Moore, who resigned Wednesday for health reasons.
"Over the past several weeks, we have had multiple conversations about who should follow coach Moore as AD," said Alabama president Dr. Judy Bonner. "Based on Mal's strong endorsement as well as coach Battle's affiliation with UA as a player, partner and donor, his experience as a coach and his significant business background, I am confident that he is the right person to serve UA in this position. I am looking forward to working with him as we continue to build on the foundation of excellence that is the hallmark of Coach Moore's tenure."
Battle started for the Crimson Tide from 1960-62 and was a member of Bryant's first national championship team in 1961. He spent time as an assistant football coach at Oklahoma, Army and Tennessee before being elevated to head coach for the Volunteers. In seven years as head coach at Tennessee, Battle's teams were 59-22-2.
After his run at Tennessee, Battle founded the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) in 1981 and served as its president and CEO until 2002. He also has served as chairman of the board of Licensing Partners International (LPI), which was created in 2001 to represent licensing interests of non-collegiate sports properties, as well as corporate and entertainment properties. Both were acquired by IMG (originally known as International Management Group) in 2007.
"The University of Alabama is at an all-time high in athletics, academics and most every other way, and I am deeply honored to be asked to serve in the position of athletics director," said Battle. "It is an extraordinary challenge and a responsibility that I take very seriously. I will do my dead- level best to continue the successes on and off the playing fields that Alabama fans have enjoyed over the past few years."
Moore, 73, had served as the Crimson Tide's AD since 1999. He was hospitalized for over a week earlier this month with heart-related issues and will move into a special assistant's role to the president.
