Big Ten will hire former MLB executive Tony Petitti as commissioner

[cigaretteman]

The Big Ten is hiring former Major League Baseball executive Tony Petitti to be its next commissioner, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.


The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a deal was still being finalized. An announcement is expected from the conference by the end of the week.

Petitti replaces Kevin Warren, who is leaving to become president of the Bears. Warren’s last day on the job was scheduled to be April 17.


Petitti continues a trend of recent hires to lead the top conferences coming from outside college sports — like Warren, who worked for the Minnesota Vikings before taking over for Jim Delany and becoming the Big Ten’s first Black commissioner in 2019.

The Pac-12 subsequently hired George Kliavkoff, who was an executive for MGM Resorts International. Last year, the Big 12 hired Brett Yormark as commissioner after he had previously run Barclays Center in New York and worked for the Roc Nation talent agency.



Petitti has extensive background in television, working for ABC, CBS and MLB Network. He was also chief operating officer for MLB, taking over the position Rob Manfred held before he became commissioner.

Big Ten will hire former MLB executive Tony Petitti as commissioner

Petitti replaces Kevin Warren, who is leaving to become president of the Bears. Warren’s last day on the job was scheduled to be April 17.

chicago.suntimes.com

 

[JRHawk2003]

An MLB guy? This might be the end of the B1G.

He worked with Rob Manfred. Fail Fail Fail.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

He needs to hire P-Diddy as an assistant immediately.

 

[cigaretteman]

The Big Ten on Wednesday named Tony Petitti as its new commissioner. Here’s a look at who he is and why the conference decided to hire him.

What to know​

• Who is Tony Petitti?
• Where did Tony Petitti previously work?
• Why did the Big Ten select Tony Petitti as its next commissioner?
• Why did Kevin Warren leave the Big Ten?

Who is Tony Petitti?​

Return to menu

Tony Petitti will be the next commissioner of the Big Ten conference, a job that has become one of the most powerful in all of sports considering the conference’s massive television contracts and its influence on the rest of college athletics.
“At this important and transformational time in collegiate athletics, it is truly my great honor to be chosen by the Council of Presidents and Chancellors as the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference,” Petitti said in a statement Wednesday. “I am energized to work alongside the best athletics directors, coaches, conference staff and board in the country as — together — we continue to elevate the academic and athletic experiences and resources for our 14, soon-to-be 16, world-class universities with nearly 10,000 incredible student-athletes. Thank you to the extraordinary people and places that have led me to this next challenge in my career. I am ready to get to work for the Big Ten Conference community.”

Where did Tony Petitti previously work?​

Return to menu
Petitti comes to the Big Ten from the 33rd Team, a football think tank where he was co-chief executive officer. He previously was president of sports and entertainment at Activision Blizzard, a video game company; deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball; and a television executive for CBS and ABC. He also serves on the executive committee of the U.S. Golf Association.

Why did the Big Ten select Tony Petitti as its next commissioner?​

Return to menu
Over the past few years, the major conferences have moved away from traditional commissioner hires — traditionally college athletic directors or administrators — to instead focus on candidates from the worlds of media and professional sports. Kevin Warren, whom Petitti is replacing as Big Ten commissioner, came to the conference from the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, where he was chief operating officer. In 2021, the Pacific-12 hired George Kliavkoff, a former MLB executive who previously was president of entertainment and sports at MGM Resorts International. Last year, Roc Nation talent agency CEO Brett Yormark was named Big 12 commissioner; he previously ran Barclays Center in New York.


Petitti is not a big name to the casual sports fan, but he was a major player behind the scenes. He helped create the Bowl Championship Series with ABC and worked with the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the NFL at CBS, and his experience in those fields will be crucial as the College Football Playoff works toward a new television deal for its expanded 12-team field, which begins in 2024 (ESPN’s television contract with the CFP runs through 2026).

Petitti also oversaw the launch of MLB Network and ran its day-to-day operations until 2015, when he was named MLB’s chief operating officer.

Last year, the Big Ten signed a new seven-year, $7 billion television contract with CBS, NBC and Fox and poached USC and UCLA from the Pac-12. The new television deal begins this year, and the two California schools will join the conference in 2024. Future Big Ten expansion — perhaps by adding more West Coast schools — reportedly remains on the table, and it will be Petitti’s job to shepherd the conference through that process.


While with MLB, Petitti led the negotiations over the sport’s television-deal renewals with both Turner and Fox. He also spearheaded changes to the annual Home Run Derby, sparking renewed interest in the event, and helped create the league’s “Field of Dreams” games, which were played in 2021 and 2022 at a stadium in Iowa near the filming location for the 1989 film.
“We are at a time in collegiate athletics that we need leaders with innovative forethought, the highest principles, and a spirit of fairness and partnership,” Robert Jones, University of Illinois chancellor and chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents, said in a statement Wednesday. “Tony brings a dynamic style of leadership and impeccable integrity to the conference. The entire Council of Presidents and Chancellors is thrilled to have him serve as the seventh commissioner in Big Ten Conference history.”

Why did Kevin Warren leave the Big Ten?​

Return to menu
In January, the Big Ten announced that Warren would be stepping down as commissioner to take the job of president and CEO of the NFL’s Chicago Bears (he officially begins that job Monday).


Under Warren’s watch, the Big Ten agreed to its massive new television rights deal and expanded its geographic reach by adding USC and UCLA. But he also was the subject of criticism for canceling and then un-canceling the Big Ten football season in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic was at its height. The Big Ten school presidents never publicly offered Warren a contract extension despite his accomplishments, and his move back to the NFL or some other professional league soon became expected.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/04/12/tony-petitti-big-ten-commissioner/

 

[JRHawk2003]

The Big Ten on Wednesday named Tony Petitti as its new commissioner. Here’s a look at who he is and why the conference decided to hire him.

What to know​

• Who is Tony Petitti?
• Where did Tony Petitti previously work?
• Why did the Big Ten select Tony Petitti as its next commissioner?
• Why did Kevin Warren leave the Big Ten?

Who is Tony Petitti?​

Return to menu

Tony Petitti will be the next commissioner of the Big Ten conference, a job that has become one of the most powerful in all of sports considering the conference’s massive television contracts and its influence on the rest of college athletics.
“At this important and transformational time in collegiate athletics, it is truly my great honor to be chosen by the Council of Presidents and Chancellors as the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference,” Petitti said in a statement Wednesday. “I am energized to work alongside the best athletics directors, coaches, conference staff and board in the country as — together — we continue to elevate the academic and athletic experiences and resources for our 14, soon-to-be 16, world-class universities with nearly 10,000 incredible student-athletes. Thank you to the extraordinary people and places that have led me to this next challenge in my career. I am ready to get to work for the Big Ten Conference community.”

Where did Tony Petitti previously work?​

Return to menu
Petitti comes to the Big Ten from the 33rd Team, a football think tank where he was co-chief executive officer. He previously was president of sports and entertainment at Activision Blizzard, a video game company; deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball; and a television executive for CBS and ABC. He also serves on the executive committee of the U.S. Golf Association.

Why did the Big Ten select Tony Petitti as its next commissioner?​

Return to menu
Over the past few years, the major conferences have moved away from traditional commissioner hires — traditionally college athletic directors or administrators — to instead focus on candidates from the worlds of media and professional sports. Kevin Warren, whom Petitti is replacing as Big Ten commissioner, came to the conference from the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, where he was chief operating officer. In 2021, the Pacific-12 hired George Kliavkoff, a former MLB executive who previously was president of entertainment and sports at MGM Resorts International. Last year, Roc Nation talent agency CEO Brett Yormark was named Big 12 commissioner; he previously ran Barclays Center in New York.


Petitti is not a big name to the casual sports fan, but he was a major player behind the scenes. He helped create the Bowl Championship Series with ABC and worked with the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the NFL at CBS, and his experience in those fields will be crucial as the College Football Playoff works toward a new television deal for its expanded 12-team field, which begins in 2024 (ESPN’s television contract with the CFP runs through 2026).

Petitti also oversaw the launch of MLB Network and ran its day-to-day operations until 2015, when he was named MLB’s chief operating officer.

Last year, the Big Ten signed a new seven-year, $7 billion television contract with CBS, NBC and Fox and poached USC and UCLA from the Pac-12. The new television deal begins this year, and the two California schools will join the conference in 2024. Future Big Ten expansion — perhaps by adding more West Coast schools — reportedly remains on the table, and it will be Petitti’s job to shepherd the conference through that process.


While with MLB, Petitti led the negotiations over the sport’s television-deal renewals with both Turner and Fox. He also spearheaded changes to the annual Home Run Derby, sparking renewed interest in the event, and helped create the league’s “Field of Dreams” games, which were played in 2021 and 2022 at a stadium in Iowa near the filming location for the 1989 film.
“We are at a time in collegiate athletics that we need leaders with innovative forethought, the highest principles, and a spirit of fairness and partnership,” Robert Jones, University of Illinois chancellor and chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents, said in a statement Wednesday. “Tony brings a dynamic style of leadership and impeccable integrity to the conference. The entire Council of Presidents and Chancellors is thrilled to have him serve as the seventh commissioner in Big Ten Conference history.”

Why did Kevin Warren leave the Big Ten?​

Return to menu
In January, the Big Ten announced that Warren would be stepping down as commissioner to take the job of president and CEO of the NFL’s Chicago Bears (he officially begins that job Monday).


Under Warren’s watch, the Big Ten agreed to its massive new television rights deal and expanded its geographic reach by adding USC and UCLA. But he also was the subject of criticism for canceling and then un-canceling the Big Ten football season in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic was at its height. The Big Ten school presidents never publicly offered Warren a contract extension despite his accomplishments, and his move back to the NFL or some other professional league soon became expected.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/04/12/tony-petitti-big-ten-commissioner/

More proof that colleges need to spin these programs off.