Former MLB executive Tony Petitti named Big Ten commissioner

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Big Ten selected Tony Petitti on Wednesday to become the conference’s next commissioner.

Petitti, a former deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of MLB, will replace Kevin Warren, who accepted a job as the president of the Chicago Bears.

“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,” Petitti said in a press release.

Petitti has also held senior executive roles at CBS Sports and ABC Sports.  He will begin his role as commissioner on May 15.

“Tony’s capabilities to navigate the complexities of changing marketplace 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,” Darryll Pines, University of Maryland president, said in the release.

We are proud to announce the seventh Commissioner in the history of the Big Ten Conference, Tony Petitti 👏 #B1G

🔗 https://t.co/SOUId4VXAW pic.twitter.com/4yFlKW3fDk

— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) April 12, 2023