Big Ten hires Tony Petitti as new commissioner

The Big Ten hired former Major League Baseball and CBS Sports executive Tony Petitti as the league's new commissioner, the conference announced on Wednesday.

"At this important and transformational time in collegiate athletics, it is truly my great honor to be chosen by the council of presidents and chancellors as the commissioner of the Big Ten conference," Petitti said in a statement.

Petitti oversaw the launch of the MLB Network in 2009 before serving as MLB's COO after his predecessor Rob Manfred became the league's commissioner. Prior to getting into baseball, Petitti worked for the CBS Sports Network in 2008. He'll begin his tenure as Big Ten commissioner on May 15.

The new commissioner replaces Kevin Warren, who left the Big Ten after being hired in 2019 following Jim Delany's retirement. The Chicago Bears hired Warren as team president and CEO in January.

Warren faced scrutiny early in his tenure after the Big Ten called off the 2020 football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league ultimately reversed the decision, opting to play a shortened conference-only schedule.

The outgoing commissioner played a key role in the Big Ten's expansion, as USC and UCLA will join the conference in 2024. The Big Ten also secured a seven-year media rights deal with FOX, CBS, and NBC that'll gross nearly $1 billion annually.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips was considered a speculative favorite for the Big Ten's opening following Warren's departure, but he wasn't formally involved in the conference's hiring process, per ESPN's Pete Thamel. Phillips reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the ACC that'll keep him with the league through the rest of the decade.