Pac-12 hires MGM Resorts government George Kliavkoff as commissioner to switch Larry Scott

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The Pac-12 introduced Thursday that George Kliavkoff has been named its new commissioner. Kliavkoff will take over the convention on July 1 after incomes unanimous assist from all 12 Pac-12 presidents and chancellors. He replaces Larry Scott, who was let go in January after serving within the function since 2009.

When you have by no means heard of Kliavkoff earlier than, you are not alone as he’s a neophyte to the faculty athletics area. He involves the Pac-12 after serving because the president of leisure & sports activities for MGM Resorts Worldwide, a task he has held since 2018. He additionally served as a member on the WNBA’s Board of Governors, BetMGM and Cirque du Soleil Leisure Group throughout his time at MGM Resorts Worldwide. 

“I’m thrilled to be the Pac-12 Commissioner. It is a difficult time for intercollegiate athletics, however I imagine these challenges additionally create vital alternatives,” Kliavkoff mentioned. “I cherished being a student-athlete, and I am passionate in regards to the doorways that school sports activities and better schooling open for younger men and women. My job on the Pac-12 might be to assist handle the steadiness between continued tutorial excellence, student-athlete well-being and an excellent greater stage of athletic achievement.”

Kliavkoff was beforehand the manager vice chairman of enterprise with MLB Superior Media from 2003-06, the chief digital officer at NBCUniversal from 2006-08 and a board member and interim CEO at Hulu from 2007-08. He was additionally beforehand a board member for A&E from 2013-16.

“At every step of his profession, George has navigated complicated, shortly altering environments and has been a profitable consensus builder. George is a visionary chief with a unprecedented background as a pioneering sports activities, leisure and digital media government, and we’re delighted and honored that he has agreed to turn out to be our subsequent Pac-12 Commissioner,” mentioned Oregon president Michael H. Schill, chair of the five-member search committee.

“He’s the brand new prototype for a sports activities commissioner. Whereas George has deep sports activities expertise, his greatest asset is his capability to hear, join with various teams, discover widespread floor, collaborate and navigate an evolving panorama. We imagine George’s general expertise and expertise will turn out to be much more prevalent in school sports activities management.”

That is an fascinating rent for the Pac-12. The recognition in sports activities playing as elevated during the last 5 years as a number of states have begun to permit sports activities betting. Kliavkoff’s ties to the business actually indicated that the convention could possibly be taking a extra proactive method to its reputation. Coupled along with his expertise on the planet of streaming and leisure, that signifies the convention had a forward-thinking method to this determination.

His rent comes a tumultuous time for the convention. Scott’s rollout of the regional Pac-12 Networks did not match that of the SEC, Large Ten and ACC. The Pac-12 additionally hasn’t positioned a group within the School Soccer Playoff since 2016 (Washington) and has largely turn out to be irrelevant in main school athletics. 

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