University of Michigan athletic director Bill Martin announces retirement effective Sept. 2010

Michigan athletic director Bill Martin retiring

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bill Martin took over Michigan’s athletic department when its finances and basketball program were in shambles and the school’s facilities were outdated.

A decade later, the athletic director will call it a career after fixing the books, restoring pride on the court and making nearly $300 million in infrastructure improvements for the football and basketball programs.

The 69-year-old Martin announced his retirement in a letter to university President Mary Sue Coleman. “Being the Michigan AD is not just a job, it’s a way of life and one I have embraced full force,” Martin wrote in the letter made public Wednesday.

He will step down Sept. 4, 2010, when the Wolverines host Connecticut and the school rededicates Michigan Stadium after its $226 million renovation is complete.

Martin became Michigan’s AD in 2000 on an interim basis and inherited a department with a $2.8 million deficit and the biggest financial scandal in the history of intercollegiate athletics, stemming from an ex-booster loaning $616,000 to Chris Webber and other basketball players.

Martin agreed to drop the interim tag and to make a three-year commitment.

He stayed much longer.

Martin improved the department’s finances and facilities, helped the basketball program bounce back and hired Rich Rodriguez, who seems to have college football’s winningest program headed in the right direction after losing a school-record nine games last year in his debut season.

“We’ve had a lot of laughs and we’ve had a few tough moments,” said Rodriguez, whose team is 5-2 heading into Saturday’s game against No. 13 Penn State.

Martin had discussed his retirement with Coleman and agreed to remain while renovations to Michigan Stadium were ongoing.

That project is scheduled to be finished by August 2010, and another major project, a $23.2 million basketball practice facility next to Crisler Arena, was approved in January. Michigan’s football team began taking advantage of $26.1 million in improvements to its practice facility in August.

“He’s always been a big supporter of the football program and what he’s done facility-wise and fiscally for the department has been amazing,” Rodriguez told reporters. “It’s going to be sad to see him go.”

Lloyd Carr, who retired as football coach on New Year’s Day 2008 and became a senior AD at the school, said Michigan’s facilities were “well behind our peers” when Martin was hired.

“Today, we are at the forefront and the monumental changes that Bill and his team have orchestrated have positioned Michigan Athletics in excellent position for decades to come,” Carr said in a statement.

At least two issues, though, linger as Martin prepares to depart.

The school launched an internal investigation in August into allegations that the football program regularly violated NCAA rules limiting how much time players can spend on training and practice. The athletic department also has to find enough well-heeled fans and corporations in a tough economy to fill luxury boxes at the Big House that cost as much as $85,000 per season.

Coleman said Martin will remain as AD until a successor is chosen, and then he will remain a special adviser to her until retiring.

Potential replacements could include Domino’s Pizza Inc. CEO David Brandon, Miami of Ohio athletic director Brad Bates, Buffalo athletic director Warde Manuel — all of whom were on the football team at Michigan when the late Bo Schembechler was coaching — and Arkansas Jeff Long, who was hired by Schembechler when he began his athletic administration career.

“I worked with Bill when I was on the board of regents on the stadium and other projects and this day should be about him and the great job he’s done,” Brandon said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Is Brandon interested in succeeding Martin?

“I’m a CEO of a public company and I love my job,” Brandon told The AP. “I wish Mary Sue Coleman all the best in her search.”

Messages seeking comment were left with Bates, Manuel and Long.

Martin, a former acting president of the U.S. Olympic Committee and president of the U.S. Sailing Association, made a fortune in real estate. The wealthy yet down-to-earth man could’ve enjoyed his 60s on a sailboat, but chose to take on the challenges at Michigan.

“No, I don’t need this,” Martin said with a chuckle in a 2003 interview with The AP. “But I absolutely thrive on challenges and I don’t mind working. Some nights I go home and collapse because I’m burned out. I never used to sleep on the couch. But now there are nights I watch TV at about 9 o’clock, then the next thing I know, David Letterman is on, my wife is in bed and I’m in my clothes on the couch.”

(This version CORRECTS Corrects Brandon’s quote in 21st graf.)