1 of 1- DucksReign
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New Pac-12 Commissioner
I really like this hire.
Academia is not a shortcoming of the Pac-12 schools and we didn't need a former star athlete either. Instead we needed a "sports and entertainment" hire and we got one. He understands in this day and age, "distribution of content" has to be a top priority.
- KONA808
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Re: New Pac-12 Commissioner
DucksReign wrote:
I really like this hire.
Academia is not a shortcoming of the Pac-12 schools and we didn't need a former star athlete either. Instead we needed a "sports and entertainment" hire and we got one. He understands in this day and age, "distribution of content" has to be a top priority.
I don’t know, man. Seems the same things were said after L Scott was hired — Out of the box hire.
Last edited by KONA808 (5/14/2021 9:41 pm)
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Re: New Pac-12 Commissioner
Scott was hired in 2009...a lifetime ago in college sports.
Plus and believe me, I am no Scott fan, he started well... expanded Conference to 12 teams when that was all the rage in college sports; signed a $3 billion contract with ESPN and Fox Sports to create the Pac-12 Network to name 2 highlights...but then?
Call it what you want...got too attached to the lifestyle i.e. $11 million annual rent for SFO office...biggest salary of all Power 5 Commissioners...his bosses(presidents and chancellors) fell asleep at the wheel...there won't be a repeat of that now if for no other reason the financials are too precarious.
Otherwise what type of hire is a better solution? The Pac-12 is so far behind the other Power 5 Conferences in media rights, revenues, distribution of content, etc..."making money" as to be a major priority and this guy seems to know how to do it in 2021(not 2009).
Pac-12 doesn't need a Commissioner to oversee the Conference...they need a Commissioner to REBUILD the Conference and I think and am hopeful they hired the right person to orchestrate it.
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Thread Starter- KONA808
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Re: New Pac-12 Commissioner
I’m not dumping on the new hire. I was just expecting them to hire someone from the Big Ten or the SEC, with some connection to the west coast, since those two conferences are killing it. I wasn’t expecting another outside the box hire.
The five year contract seems like the right amount of time, as we’ll know in a little over two, to see what he’ll be able to come up with for the next media rights deal beginning in 2024.
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Re: New Pac-12 Commissioner
Well I listened to UO President Michael Schill(who headed up the selection process) and Commissioner K on Canzano's podcast and with over 200 applicants for the position they certainly could have chosen just about anyone but were instantly impressed with their hire after a group interview. Also some recognizable names like the Alabama AD withdrew from consideration.
No one person can do it all but there is so much "Scott damage" to repair both internally and externally that you have to hope any hire surrounds themselves with quality people who are stronger in other areas(definitely not a Scott trait).
I was expecting someone who could get the the Pac-12 brand generating revenue...not a stuffy academia lifer.
Every Pac-12 school represents a "quality education" and degree...it is not the "Conference of Champions" for nothing as it relates to sports but the brand is underperforming to say the least. It is about the brand in this day and age.
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