The Big Ten announced that Tony Pettitti has been named the conference’s seventh commissioner.
He will start his term on May 15.
Petiti replaces Kevin Warren, who will have his final day with the Big Ten today, April 14.
Pettitti has served as Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball and President and CEO of MLB Network.
A 14-time National Sports Emmy Award winner, Pettitti has held senior executive positions at CBS Sports and ABC Sports overseeing rights acquisition deals for a variety of collegiate and professional sports leagues and events, including the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and regular-season men’s basketball. . , college football, the NFL, the PGA Tour, the Masters, the US Open tennis championships, and the Little League World Series, as well as pioneering the creation of the Bowl Championship Series to determine the college football champion.
The search for the seventh Big Ten commissioner was led by the Council of Presidents and Counselors’ Executive Search Committee. Maryland President Darrell J. Baines served as president alongside Minnesota President Joan Gable, Ohio State President Christina M. Johnson, Council of Presidents and Chancellors President and Illinois Chancellor Robert Jones.
“I would like to thank all of the candidates who spent time with us during the commissioner search process, each of whom demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities and breadth of experience,” Baines said in a statement. “The Big Ten Conference is in an exceptional position of strength. Tony’s abilities to navigate the complexities of changing market environments, history as a collaborative leader, and passion for academics and collegiate athletics made him the right leader, at the right time, for the Big Ten Conference.”
TurnkeyZRG, a leading talent recruiter for sports, entertainment, music and media, has helped the Big Ten Conference Board of Presidents and Consultants. TurnkeyZRG has conducted a comprehensive and comprehensive recruitment process that has presented a diverse list of potential candidates from within collegiate athletics, professional sports, media, government, and more.
“At once in collegiate athletics, we need leaders with creative thinking, the highest principles, and a spirit of fairness and partnership,” Jones said. Tony brings to the conference a dynamic style of leadership and impeccable integrity. The entire Council of Presidents and Counselors is delighted to serve as the seventh commissioner in the history of the Big Ten Conference.”
The 14 current member institutions of the Big Ten Conference, as well as the two new members that will join the conference in 2024, participated in the interview and final selection process for Petitti.
“At this important and transformative time in collegiate athletics, it is truly a great honor for me to be selected by the Board of Presidents and Counsellors as a commissioner of the Big Ten Conference,” said Pettitti. “I’m excited to work alongside the nation’s best principals, coaches, conference staff, and board members as — together — we continue to leverage the academic and athletic expertise and resources of 14, soon to be 16, world-class universities with nearly an astonishing 10,000 student-athletes. Thank you. For the extraordinary people and places that have led me to this next challenge in my career. I am ready to work for the Big Ten Conference community.”
Most recently, Petitti was recruited by Liberty Media and The Baupost Group to work as a consultant evaluating sports and media properties.
As Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Operations for Major League Baseball (2014-20), Beatty has been involved in all aspects of MLB, including leading broadcast and digital media, special events (All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, MLB postseason scheduling and operations), and MLB Network, MLB Social Media, Consumer Products and Licensing, Marketing, Youth Development, International, and Security.
Collaborate closely with 30 MLB team owners and presidents, and key business and operating partners to incorporate insights and feedback to improve the creation and implementation of strategic initiatives. Pettitti was also involved with the MLB’s Competition Committee.
As President and CEO of MLB Network (2008-14), Petitti led the imagination, creation, construction, and launch of MLB Network in 50 million homes which was, at the time, the largest launch of a cable network in history. Petiti’s vision touched every aspect of content and operations including programming, on-air talent, production staff, studio set-up and supporting facilities.
Prior to MLB, Petitti was Executive Vice President of CBS Sports (2002-2008) and was an integral part of the network’s NFL coverage. He led the sports programming department and brought responsibility as executive producer for all CBS Sports telecasts.