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Pete Thamel, ESPN
The American Athletic Conference is targeting veteran college sports executive Tim Pernetti as the league's next commissioner, sources told ESPN.
Pernetti is the president of IMG Academy and has extensive experience in the collegiate field as a former athletic director at Rutgers University, as well as an impressive background in television. He also has professional experience from his time as chief business officer at New York City FC in MLS.
Pernetti has been involved in other high-profile college searches before taking the AAC job. He will replace Mike Aresco, who stepped down after serving as the only commissioner in AAC's 11-year history.
He takes over the league as it goes through a period of major change, having recently welcomed Rice, UTSA, North Texas, FAU, UAB and Charlotte. AAC currently has a television contract with ESPN through the 2031-32 school year.
Pernetti brings extensive television experience from early in his career. He was his first hire for CSTV, the former College Sports Television Network. He held various positions at ABC Sports and ABC Enhanced TV from 1994 until 2003.
Pernetti was considered one of the sport's most promising young athletic directors until former Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice resigned from Rutgers after a video surfaced showing him throwing basketballs at players and other abusive behavior. It had been.
Mr. Pernetti was seen by some as a scapegoat in the Rice scandal, but he quickly re-emerged in the field as a prominent executive.
His background in television, the college industry, and on campus gives him the blend of experience he believes is sought-after for the commissioner role.
The commissioner space is trending toward nontraditional hires, such as Brett Yormark in the Big 12 and Tim Pernetti in the Big 10. (ACC's Jim Phillips comes from a previous job as athletic director at Northwestern University.) Pernetti's resume shows a little bit of both.
