The Story Behind J Batt’s Name Is Simpler Than You’d Expect

One of the biggest questions since J Batt came onto our radar last weekend isn’t about fundraising, his age, or even his vision for Kentucky sports. It’s why he goes by a single letter as his first name.

The Herald-Leader got to the bottom of the mystery, Jon Hale asking Kentucky’s next CEO of Champions Blue LLC and Athletics Director the hard-hitting question on Monday. Batt, who was born Jason Michael Batt on December 30, 1981, in Urbana, Illinois, said the story starts in third grade, when there were three Jasons in his class. To simplify things for his teacher and classmates, he went by “Jay,” even after he went to college at the University of North Carolina.

Batt was the goalkeeper on UNC’s soccer team from 2000 to 2003, winning a national championship with the Tar Heels in 2001. He was listed as “Jay” on the roster. After earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications and a master’s degree in sports administration, he started working for UNC’s athletic department in 2005. By the time he took the job as Director of Major Gifts for Athletics at James Madison in 2007, he was just J.

“It started in third grade, three Jasons,” Batt told the Herald-Leader. “We went to J somewhere in there, in a media guide somewhere. We went to J, and it stuck.”

Not everyone in Batt’s life calls him J. Like most moms, Batt’s mother uses his full name when she’s upset with him. Hopefully, nothing that happens in Lexington will prompt that.

Hear from J Batt below. As he told Matt Jones on Monday, you’ll be seeing a lot of him over the coming months. His first official day in office is July 1.

“The fanbase is going to be tired of seeing me, because I’m going to be out every day, and that is how I’m going to be as best I can, and so, whether it’s walking down the street or at a game, I’d just say any member of Big Blue Nation, say hello. I want to meet you. I want to get to know you.”

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