Huge Ten targets Tony Petitti as commissioner: League anticipated to rent former TV, MLB govt, per reviews

The Huge Ten is near tabbing former tv and Main League Baseball govt Tony Petitti to function its subsequent commissioner, based on a number of reviews. Petitti will step into the position vacated by former commissioner Kevin Warren, who left to take over as president of the Chicago Bears in January and negotiated a brand new seven-year media rights deal for the league with CBS, Fox and NBC that’s valued at roughly $1.2 billion yearly earlier than his departure. 

Petitti has developed a storied profession within the sports activities trade by way of the years. He took over as chief working officer of Main League Baseball after Rob Manfred was elevated to commissioner of the league in 2015. Previous to that, Petitti served as president and chief govt officer of MLB Community, overseeing the launch the community and operating day-to-day operations throughout its infancy. 

He held the position till 2020 when he left to hitch Activision Blizzard within the roie of president of sports activities and leisure. His main focus at Activision Blizzard was oversight of the businesses esports, client merchandise and movie and tv ventures. 

Petitti was a titan at CBS Sports activities starting in 1997 when he was employed away from ABC to function senior vice chairman of enterprise affairs and programming. He was named govt vice chairman of CBS Sports activities in 2005, and was an integral a part of the community’s NFL protection earlier than leaving to hitch Main League Baseball. 

Petitti’s expertise with MLB Community, his connections throughout the sports activities trade and up to date work within the rising esports market will assist the Huge Ten transfer ahead in an ever-evolving trade. The a number of methods wherein people devour sports activities protection, NIL alternatives athletes at the moment are afforded in a radically altering trade and the flexibility to harness these realities in a brand new Huge Ten world that can together with USC and UCLA starting in 2024 calls for a frontrunner with an intensive and numerous resume. 

The Huge Ten hiring Petitti is simply the newest in what has grow to be a development of outside-the-box considering by Energy 5 conferences. The Huge 12 employed Brett Yormark in August 2022 after Yormark spent three years at Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s sports activities and leisure company. One yr prior, the Pac-12 employed Georgia Kliavkoff away from MGM Resorts Worldwide to function its commissioner. 

The information that Petitti is slated to guide the Huge Ten comes simply hours after reviews surfaced that ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who was as soon as thought of a prime goal to switch Warren, obtained a three-year extension to stay in his position.