The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast - Big Noon Conversations: Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti on his TV background & first 100 days

Episode Date: July 31, 2023

In the final episode of The Joel Klatt Show: Big Noon Conversations, FOX Sports’ lead college football analyst Joel Klatt sits down with the new Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, Tony Petitti. They begin by discussing what the Commissioner hopes to accomplish early in his tenure. Petitti goes into how his background as a TV executive and at Major League Baseball has prepared him to oversee the Big Ten’s $7 Billion media rights deal. He also reflects back on his time at ABC during the creation of the BCS. The two finish by discussing the importance of incentivizing top-level regular season success in the expanded Playoff era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I think part of what I had to convince people was that I'm not just a media person. I did a lot of other things in MLB. But at the same time, that baseball experience working with Commissioner Manfred in the departments that he let me oversee just really created like a new portfolio for me. Most influential people in the sport talking about the sport globally. This time on Big Noon Conversations, I talk with the new commissioner of the Big Ten conference, Tony Petiti. All right, we welcome the new Big Ten Commissioner, Tony Petiti. Thank you so much for joining us.

Good to be here. Thank you. Absolutely. And we broke out the good scenery here for you. Yeah, this is pretty good looking at you. A couple months on the job, we thought we'd give you the good background. I appreciate that. That's where I'll start. You know, this is brand new, you know, for you.

Commissioner of the Big Ten, and it is a legacy position. There's no doubt. I'll just start by asking you, like, what drew you to the position, you know, getting, I don't want to say back into it, but, you know, into this. role? What is it about this role that intrigued you? Yeah, when I got the first call from the search firm that was working on this to see if I had some interest, I was sort of surprised to get the call and at the same time really intrigued by it. And I felt like it was a long shot when you're talking about a job, you know,

as big as this one with the type of people that would come forward to be interested. But I started doing the work. Like this really, like what would this job be? And that's what they asked me to do. I think they felt good about what my background was and the experience experiences I had, but I've been away from college sports for a little bit, even though I've worked on it a lot in the beginning part of my career. So that was sort of the combination of all those things. And then when I started doing the preparation, I was really, really loved it, actually. I spent time talking to people that were, you know, in and around college athletics, people that I trusted that I was close to back in the day. And, you know, looking at the challenges and the opportunity and then just being associated with something as important as a big 10. Sure. It's really hard not to give it my, you know, full effort. And that's what I did. I sort of treated it like, let me just go all in. and see what happens. If I end up being the right person, that'll be great. If not, it was worth all the preparation. What's interesting is, like, I think that everybody loves, you know,

different aspects of intercollegiate athletics. And, you know, for me, it's obviously specific to college football. There's so many things I love about college football. And even some of the challenges, you know, I think are amazing opportunities that we're going to face. And we'll get into that over the course of our conversation. But I mentioned that during your work, you know, you're prepping, you're talking with people. Was there anything specifically that just drew you're like, man, you know, this, I do, I picture myself loving this about specifically college football. Yeah, I think it was a combination of things.

Like first it's just, you know, having been an MLB and, you know, being part of an organization, we're dealing with multiple teams, multiple owners. I felt there was a lot of analogies to what the Big Ten does for its member institutions. So I felt good about the every day and just, you know, being involved in college athletics and what it means for student athletes. But then the other part of it to be really, when I started, started thinking about it, like it's such an important crossroads and the challenges are so big. And when you're at an organization that's really important, that means a lot to a lot of people,

that's at a point in time where you can have a meaningful impact to try to create change and lasting tradition and build on everything great before. Like that's pretty exciting. It's hard to not get excited about that type of opportunity. And it was sort of that moment when I realized like, hey, it's not just running the league every day. These are sort of really big issues that are going to shape the future. and we got to preserve what's great about college athletics for student athletes. I just felt like I really wanted to be a part of that.

And I was hoping in some way, hopefully over time I'll be able to contribute in a meaningful way as of whether the next future is. I mean, personally, I think that your position, maybe one other, maybe two other in the entire sport, are real legacy positions, not just for you personally, but I'm talking about the entire sport. Because of the crossroads of some of the issues that we'll talk about, you know, the opportunity to shape those. Is there one that you're really eager to help shape? Yeah, I think it's just the idea that, you know,

the balance of academics and athletics and what's been so valuable for so many, I'm sure for your experience, for mine at a much lower level than you played at, but it meant a lot to me. Sure. And it opened a lot of doors, even though it was Division III baseball. It still was probably one of the most meaningful things I've ever done in my life in terms of setting me up. So I really feel a value in that. So I think it's that model and just trying to preserve what's been really important for everybody.

It does not mean that things aren't changing for student athletes that benefits don't change over time. Of course they do. But I do think at its core, what's at the core of it is so important and so valuable that we have to remember that and try to do things to protect that. I'm always interested in when you talk with someone that's going into a big position. And obviously like the president always has like the first hundred days, this is what I'm going to do in office. and you're in a lot of ways in a position like that for this conference. And in some ways, like that for the sport, are there things, and let's start with,

I don't want to ask you too big of a question, specifically internal for the conference that you really want to focus on and nail in the first hundred days. Yeah, that's a great question. I think the first thing is just the staffing and how the conference office interacts with the member institutions, making sure that we're running. on all cylinders, that we're best in class, that the conference office is doing what the members need, that we have that relationship of trust and, you know, the athletic director, SWAs, faculty reps, and of course the presidents and chancellas that I work for, that we're all on the same page and, you know,

and working hard and there's total confidence in what we're doing at the conference level. And so getting that right early on was really important and looking at the functions and where we need to be stronger, what the challenges are and making sure we have the best athletes in every position like you would on any team. Sure. So I think that's the way I looked at it. versus that internal, you know, setting it up because the more that we have great depth there in strength,

the more it'll free me up and senior staff to deal with some of the bigger issues, right? So you gotta do the basics. And look, we have USC and UCLA coming in. That's gonna, that's a new challenge for staff. And we gotta make sure that we're ready to do that in the best way. Well, I mean, that's just one of the, you know,

and I don't, I'm not gonna list them all, but you've got two new schools coming on. Oh, by the way, they're thousands of miles away in Los Angeles and a different market, USC and UCLA. You've got a brand new schedule format about to drop. You're onboarding what is, can only be considered the biggest media rights partnership in the history of intercollegiate athletics. Not just from a monetary standpoint, but also from a logistic standpoint, you're going to have three networks.

No one's ever had that before. These are all the issues that you're going to be knee deep in internally. how has your history as a television executive MLB Network, CBS, ABC, going to help you through those issues? Yeah, I think, you know, in terms of leading organizations and trying to react, I think everything that you pointed out, wow, it's a challenge. It's also an incredible opportunity, right? So the positive is the other side.

You think about, hey, these are challenges. It's going to take a lot of work and a lot of creative and new thinking. But at the same time, you know, the opportunity is just through the roof in terms of what we can accomplish if we do these things well. And I'm confident that we will. Well, you know, I think I really point to the MLB experience because I think a lot of what I learned there in terms of like, you know, an MLB, 30 owners, 30 team presidents, 30 GMs, 30 baseball ops, 30 ticketing staffs. And you're working collectively in the central office to make sure all those things are best for everybody and the balance between, you know, teams that look very different that have to compete with each every day. So it's different markets, revenue.

So same thing here. So when you look at that, I think that's part of that. So when I look at all those challenges together, I see, you know, I see tremendous opportunity. my own experience, I think really on the MLB level, when I was fortunate to do not only media, but do the other pieces of the job that I had that I touched upon many departments away from media. That was probably the most valuable experience for me in trying to expanding out and giving me hopefully the right set of skills to do this. But I think that was part of the process. Look, to be clear, I think part of what I had to convince people was that I'm not just a media person.

I did a lot of other things in MLB. And so, but you look at it right. I can do logistics. Yeah, I can do other things. But like they see that and that comes through the resume. I'm proud of that. Don't get me wrong. I loved every second of our,

of the business that you're in that we were together. I love it. But at the same time, that baseball experience working with Commissioner Manfred in the departments that he let me oversee, just really created like a new portfolio for me. I'm interested from your perspective. Everyone's been talking about, you know,

like the SEC unveiled their league schedule and the Big Ten did something similar. And you started to see like, okay, this is the direct people are going to go in order to try to drive a lot of different things. Success, more valuable inventory, all these things that are important for the relationship between the conference and the network side, whether it's Fox or CBS or NBC. When you look at the schedule that you guys have settled upon, how much of it was to try to drive the most valuable inventory and the most competitive games into valuable times

time slots and network. Yeah, look, there's no doubt that the media drives a lot of that in terms of, you know, creating value and generating the value in the contract that we have. And that decision predates me to go to nine conference games, what you're referring to. Yeah. But I will say it's doing something else that's really important. When you want to be a league, I think, you know, being cohesive, seeing teams as frequently as you can see them, and that's the great thing about the format that was chosen and

it's going to be implemented is that, you know, in every two years you'll see everybody. And if you come to a Big Ten campus and four years, you'll play home and away against everybody. And I think that repetition, you know, is important when you're integrating USC and UCLA, it really connect everybody to sort of seeing teams more frequently. I think it makes it's better. Look, and the quality of those conference games is great.

And so it's gonna be challenging. And I think, but what comes with that is, you know, making the case down the road and things like the CFP that our schedule, you know, there's a gauntlet that our teams have to go through. And that should be valuable when you're evaluating the performance of any one Big Ten team. team to participate as an at large team in the CFP?

There's a narrative surrounding the sport and your colleagues, and I sat with Greg Sanky, whom I respect to no end and he's become a great friend of mine. And he talks about the gauntlet that is the SEC. And I certainly agree with him to a certain extent. What I don't think has been afforded the Big Ten in particular is that same type of narrative. That's something that I feel like should be changing. Do you feel that way as well? And in particular, entering an era in which you're competing for playoff spots

in an expanded playoff, you know? And so you're trying to drive success just as much as any other conference. How can the Big Ten continue to compete with that narrative and hopefully, you know, break through in that mold? Yeah, I think one of the most important thing is what you're alluded to earlier, it was the network contracts, having three broadcast partners on Saturday. So this is a transition year for CBS. They'll have some SEC and some Big Ten. The next year, just Big Ten, mainly at 3.30. So when you look at, you know, that footprint and what the Big Ten is

going to have on a Saturday and the amount of fans are going to reach the national exposure, I think it's a game-changing type of moment. I mean, look, these are, the Big Ten's powerful brands, great, you know, rich history. A lot of the competitive things are cyclical. But in general, I think this new format and the way, you know, we're going to be programmed across these three really big, powerful networks is going to be a huge advantage for us and it's going to help, you know, only do one thing and raise the profile. So I'm really confident that, you know, we have the right partners going forward to help do that. I think we have the, you know, great coaches and the student athletes. So it's all going to come together and I'm really excited about, you know, seeing that take place. This year is kind of a bridge year, right?

SC and UCLA don't come into the following season, but we'll get there fully in 24, 25. It'll be the second year of the new configuration on TV. And, you know, I think, you know, if you're a Big Ten fan, I think you're going to love what you see, you know, in this new format. Okay, so that's just a small part of what you're going to tackle internally. All right. Now we go to the external things. And those are monumental right now in our sport, as you know. You know, and that's probably what drew you to this, because it's challenging. There's no doubt. And between yourself and the other A5 commissioners, there's a lot of work to be done, certainly, on large-scale issues. to list them off, NIL, transfer portal, guard rails around those.

What does the postseason really look like in particular in 26 and beyond when it really changes, right? We're going to expand, but when it really becomes something that we can shape, you know, all the people in college football, what does that look like? What does the calendar look like for coaches? What all these things? So when you sit there and listen, that can be like a fire host to anybody, certainly a new commissioner who's trying to onboard all the things. that you were talking about internally. Take me through maybe like your first 100 days and how you wanna position yourself

and the conference within the national conversation of those issues that we deal with. Yeah, I think the first thing you do is you start with relationships, right? I need to build those relationships with the other A5 commissioners and with the NCAA office with Charlie Baker as well. So I think a big part of the first 60, 75 days so far for me,

is doing just that, spending time. And they've been great as a group, spend a lot of time with each of them individually and together. And I think to do and address some of the issues that you're alluding to, we need to do that collectively. These are really big issues that are challenges that are going to take collaboration to address. Like no conference is big enough to do this by themselves. It doesn't mean that you can't take leadership positions.

Of course you can. And we will do that at the Big Ten. But at the same time, we're going to need to collaborate and work together and figure out where the best ideas are coming from. Because you can't, you know, one conference. Look, it's a really unique thing. Like in MLB, it's one organization. The NFL is one organization. All the teams are collectively...

It's nimble. Right? It's just one entity that deals with all these issues. Here we've got that we all compete against each other. We have different media contracts, different, a lot of differences. But at the core, we're doing the same thing, and we're competing together. So we've got to come together on those issues that impact all of us. See, I think that's going to be your most difficult task, candidly, because in this sport, we operate in silos.

And that's just the way it's built, right? And I would tell Greg the same thing and Brett the same thing, Brett Your Mark Big 12 Commissioner or George Kolovkov, Pact 12, or Jim Phillips in the ACC. I'll tell you the same thing. It's like at some point, you know, when the rubber meets the road, you work for the Big Ten presidents. Greg works for the SEC presidents.

And I think what has been missing in college football is the collaboration, is an overarching view of the sport. this goal of yours to work cohesively to make the sport better, do you think you can do it? I think the first thing I'll say is that I think everybody agrees that we need to do it. So that's the first step to trying to come together, right? But getting them out of the silo, that's the tough part. You've got to understand you need to do it. And I feel really confident that the other A5, they really feel like we need to do this together.

So there's no doubt about that. I feel it early on. I'm assuming it'll continue and only grow in terms of spending more time together. So I think that's there. I think, again, you've got to go back and figure out, like, what things you do that are, it's highly competitive, obviously, on the field and, you know, wins and all that matter the most. But at the same time, you know, we need one ecosystem that we all can thrive in together because we do compete in that system. So it's got to be fair across for everybody. And so I feel I'm just going to be optimistic that we can work together.

Now, optimistic about working together versus, you know, what kind of results you can get are two different things. But, you know, I feel good that there's a real belief that working together is something that. that we have to do. And listen, I don't think anyone really understands Transfer Portal in NIL because it's, you know, it's so new and so, so valuable. But what I do think people understand, you in particular, because of your history, I mean, you were involved

in the initial BCS, right? I mean, like you've been in both sides of made for TV events, right? You know, post seasons and different types of deals. So the expanded playoff. I think that that's the moment, the point, where everyone can say, okay, we understand what's best for the sport overall. Do you feel like you can get a position of leadership,

even though you're two months into your commissionership with the Big Ten, in order to lead something like that, a real collaborative effort that forms a postseason that's better for all of college football? Yeah, it's really insightful question. I think I, because I think about exactly that a lot, where you're new, but you're representing an organization that's got incredible importance and weight. And power. Like, let's face it, right?

I mean, the SEC and the big team have the most influence. Right. And that's the way I have to. Like, you can't let the fact that you're new take away from the entity that you're representing as part of the challenge of there. And so it really is incumbent on me to get up to speed and be, you know, ready to lead in that room as quickly as possible. And hopefully, you know, that's the process is underway already. I will say that I see in the meetings I've been in on the CFP, I see really great collaboration. It doesn't mean that the interests are always aligned, ultimately, right?

Because, you know, again, it's pretty competitive. But I do see it. And I think what you're talking about is exactly right. Like, you know, being new, but at the same time, understanding who we represent and how important and influential that organization is when you're talking about the Big Ten. So, you know, I think that's the way I have to carry myself, right, despite how new I am. Can you give us an example, because I know, I'm sure you have many of, like, your past involvements from the television side of creating, you know, things like the BCS or anything.

Can you remember a relationship or a moment that was profound not only on the sport but on you? Yeah, I think it goes back. I think the BCS is a great place to sort of go back and think about that question. You know, for me, you know, when we were doing the BCS, we weren't even calling it the BCS when we were working on. I'm not sure what we were calling it. It was just a bowl project basically at ABC. So, you know, we had to try to figure out a way to get the Big Ten and the Pac-10 at the time to leave the Rose Bowl. And that was not easy.

And you got some, you know, some young guy from New York telling the Big Ten the Pac-10 they need to leave the Rose Bowl. So it wasn't, you know, it took a little bit of time. But the one thing that was really interesting about the process was we had lost the SEC to CBS at ABC. And Commissioner Kramer drove that decision to leave a CFA and get a national deal at CBS with the Big East at the time they were sharing. CBS at 3.30. But despite that, we knew that we had some momentum with the Pact 10, the Big 10 on the BCS, like considering actually leaving the Rose Bowl. And so internally, we're trying to figure out, like, okay, who's going to drive it for the remaining conferences that aren't the Big Ten pack 10? And we just felt that Commissioner Kramer that Roy was the best person to do it. And that was

maybe counterintuitive because we had a very painful split. It hurt to lose the SEC to CBS. But within a matter of months, we were right back with him in Atlanta. and hey, you know, Roy, like we need to, we have this thing. We actually have the Big Ten, the Pactan, and the Rose Bowl, considering something different. We need your help. What do you think of this? And, you know, maybe it was about personalities and other things,

you would have not reached out to where you would have gone somewhere else. But we knew that the SEC was the most important place to start with everybody else. And we knew that Roy, you know, was always thinking about the big picture. I just knew him well enough. And my boss did that he was going to be about what, maybe what was best. And so we started with Roy, was probably surprised a lot of people, given what had just happened. So I think the valuable lesson is that you learn as a young age that when you're making deals, it's not personal. People are charged.

They have responsibilities. They do what's best for those organizations. You may lose here. But in a short amount of time, we were right back in front of him doing the biggest deal in college football postseason. He was the main guy driving it with me. Like, it was amazing. And, you know, we had a great friendship through all of it. And I just, I like when something like that happens.

It's just totally rewarding and it's unexpected, but at the same time, you know, it just shows you that, you know, the power of a good idea and not being, you know, being bold enough to push it and just go to the people that can help you regardless, right? It's fascinating to hear that story because, you know, to me, and I say this all the time, there's nothing new under the sun, right? Like, there's, we're always facing similar issues. Like things have, and to some extent, we're in a similar boat, not specific to the Pakistan. 10 and the big 10 having to leave the Rose Bowl. But now all of a sudden, there is a strain between bulls and what a postseason could look like, right? I mean, that's just the long and the short of it.

Everyone knows that. Everyone knows it. There is a strain right now between what is the postseason and what is the relationship with bull partners. Is that something that you've thought a lot about? Or is that something that do you think is going to be ironed out down the road? Look, I think our coaches, the administrators would tell you that the bowls are still incredibly important in the ecosystem. And we should be doing things to try to make sure that that system is preserved around this expanded playoff.

It doesn't mean it won't be different. It doesn't mean it might look slightly different. But at the end of the day, I think there's enough opportunities, enough good football teams, and there's enough interest where people still want to watch at that time of year. So I think those things will drive it. You know, it has evolved a lot over the years, whether there are other conference tie-ins and how you create match-up. surrounded and you know who survives going forward and how many you know time will tell all that but there's real interest i could tell you from the big tens perspective to support that system

as hard as we can and to make them successful because look it's done by volunteers and these markets not an easy undertaking people give up their time to provide opportunities of student athletes it's a pretty remarkable thing what happens and you know you've experienced it like when you see how much pride there is when you go to a game regardless of you know how big the game actually is in terms of its profile. It takes a lot of work and there's a lot of dedicated people. So there's great value in that, and you hate to lose that. Not only the reward for the players,

but also the development of the program, with the extra practices. There's so much that I love about the bowl system, and yet I know, at least deep in my heart, and I'm not saying that you have to answer this. This is just my opinion. I don't think the bowls can live in the playoff. Not in any real way.

And the reason I feel that way is because, in order to protect the regular season, which I think is really important in college football, is we have to incentivize the best teams to continue to play hard throughout the end of the regular season, which means buys in home games. You know, and bringing some of that postseason, the expanded playoff, to campus, I think, is really vital moving forward. No, I don't know if that's going to happen or not. You don't have to tell me it is or it isn't. But that's where the strain comes in.

You know, what happens to those bulls that maybe don't fall in there. So that's something that I'm very interested in. Yeah, the one point I'll pick up on there is just the importance of the regular season. I think, you know, one of the great things about the BCS, and it was probably unintended, it really made these regular season matchups do or die because you were just funneling down to two teams in the BCS era that had a chance to play for the national championship. Even with the four, it's still really difficult. Like every loss, you know, you're, and that creates just so much interest in the regular season. You have matchups that could happen early in the season,

whether they're non-conference games, late in the season matchups, can you get in with two, can you get in with one? Do you have to go undefeated? I mean, it just creates tremendous interest, and you don't want to, you know, it's just different. And so that, I think 12 will definitely preserve that and have had the value,

maybe just more teams will be in the mix and actually expand it. But that's just that kind of art in terms of balancing your regular season with your postseason. I think 12 will do that, but that's where Kyle Trippoles really benefited from the B. to the four is just how important those regular season games are. They do or die.

And maintaining that for the top end, you know, while also, because we did this whole, on the show, and all of our listeners will know this, down the stretch last year, I said, okay, who's in it for the four team? And it was like, well, there's really seven teams still in it that can make it. All right, who would still be in it with a chance in an expanded 12 team? It was 31 at one point, you know, with a couple weeks left. And I thought to my man engaging fan bases on that scale is going to be really important but the challenge will be to maintain the importance for the top four the top five that know that they're going to be in there and how do you incentivize them in

their conference championship because your conference championship game needs to be valuable correct yeah you know you're playing you know in the format with 12 you theoretically playing for a buy if you win the conference championship and then you know getting in whether you you know where you fit, whether you win or the loser of that game and how you perform. So you're right. I think that's the key thing is that creating like tiers of incentive. Sure.

That's when a postseason format works really well when you reward certain performance so that if you do X, you get this benefit, right? And if you're just below that, this is what you get, right? And then the last guys are all fighting to get in, right? And they're just happy to be in and having a chance to compete. So that's like a perfect playoff system when you were able to accomplish all of that, right? You create tiered incentives, people fight through the regular season, they know what the prize is, fighting really hard. You got to win a Big Ten Championship, number one. That's really important to us

playing hard for the Big Ten Championship. And then from there, that unlocks what you can do and give me you some advantage in the college football playoff system. And I've told all of you at home, like, if you attach that home game to it, you can see I'm lobbying here right in front of you. Last thing I'll ask you, and this one is just about how you're going to go about the fall, you know, because I'm sure you want to get to campuses. Are you going to wait until the season to do that? get to some games. Yeah, I have this ambitious plan that I'm and try to get to every camp. The coaches will have me in the summer.

Oh, fall camp. Yeah, just go try to go in August and get out and watch practice and tour facilities. Yeah. When there's maybe a little more time and not getting in the way on a game day, you know, when you're going to be walking on the field, people are going about their business. So, you know, I'm looking forward to doing that as a way of getting on campus and seeing practices and meeting the coaches and staff personally and seeing other coaches who happen to be on campus in the summer as well.

So, you know, I'm excited about that. Then in the fall, just get to games, you know, not just football. Obviously, we've got a lot going on in the Big Ten, so, you know, I'll be across many sports. But look, you know this. You know, being on campus is really exciting and fun. Like, they're great places to be. And on game days, regardless of the sport, and you see that excitement, I was, you know, I was really, like, the best moment I've had so far is I got to watch Northwestern women win the National Lacrosse Championship.

You know, it was great to be able to root. You don't get a chance to do that too often in this job. So I put on my purple and black sneakers and I was ready to go. I love it. That's fantastic. Well, listen, as everyone knows, like we value the Big Ten relationship. Really good to sit down with you. Hopefully this is the first of many conversations.

As we continue to try to shape college football sport, we all love, moving forward into the future. Appreciate your time, Tony.