Kliavkoff appointed as Pac-12 Commish, Anderson, Boyd ‘pleased’ with hire

Following the departure of Larry Scott at the end of next month, the Pac-12 Conference announced that MGM Resorts executive George Kliavkoff would be the next commissioner of the conference on Thursday.

Through Kliavkoff’s work in live sports and entertainment, catering to fans, and overall distribution of content with MGM Resorts international, where his title was president of entertainment and sports, he was unanimously voted to the position by all Pac-12 presidents and chancellors.

“At each step of his career, George has navigated complex, quickly changing environments and has been a successful consensus builder. George is a visionary leader with an extraordinary background as a pioneering sports, entertainment, and digital media executive, and we are delighted and honored that he has agreed to become our next Pac-12 Commissioner,” University of Oregon President Michael H. Schill, chair of the five-member search committee said in the press release.

Scott and the Pac-12 Conference announced on January 20 the outgoing commissioner would be stepping down from his position, as the governing executive committees, presidents and Scott himself mutually agreed not to pursue another contract at the end of June.

Kiliavkoff’s five-year contract begins on July 1, and the president of entertainment and sports for MGM Resorts International was selected by a five-person search committee consisting of presidents and chancellors, both men and women, to reflect the diversity of the conference.

“I am thrilled to be the Pac-12 Commissioner. This is a challenging time for intercollegiate athletics, but I believe these challenges also create significant opportunities,” Kliavkoff said in the press release. “I loved being a student-athlete, and I’m passionate about the doors that college sports and higher education open for young women and men. My job at the Pac-12 will be to help manage the balance between continued academic excellence, student-athlete well-being, and an even higher level of athletic achievement.”

Kliavkoff announced upon his appointment that he will meet with a slew of people across the conference, ranging from coaches to student-athletes to learn as much as possible about the conference, as well as to begin building relationships with each of the member schools.

However, despite being appointed Thursday, Kliavkoff is more acquainted with ASU than any other university, as the school was asked to host the new commissioner’s introduction. Arizona State Athletic Director Ray Anderson explained the process in a press conference with local reporters following Kliavkoff’s appointment on Thursday.

“I found out yesterday that the new commissioner was coming to Phoenix name still unknown,” Anderson explained. “(ASU president Michael) Crow and I were very enthusiastic (to host Kiliavkoff’s introduction) … I think the conference and the folks handling the search and the announcement were very comfortable that they could do it here stealthily in Arizona with the assistance of ASU.”

“We were absolutely the first in the conference to spend some time with the new Commissioner, and that was pretty cool.”

Anderson also confided in Kliavkoff’s commitment to topics like the success of football and basketball, and their long-term hopes of the conferencing grabbing a national championship in either sport.

“I’m optimistic because (Kliavkoff) said unequivocally that football is king, along with men’s basketball as driving (force) or revenue,” Anderson said. “We were able to talk privately about the importance of upgrading Pac-12 football and mentioned recruiting, as well as building relationships with the athletic directors and coaches to push the football agenda… We are enthusiastic because he understands that football is very critical.”

With an expansive background in the sports, business, and media realms, Kliavkoff is still new to college football, something that Anderson recognized during their discussions Thursday morning. Yet the Arizona State Athletic Director didn’t shy away from Kliavkoff’s lack of knowledge, mentioning that the commissioner will need to communicate with the athletic directors and other members of the football puzzle to be successful, something Kliavkoff was willing to do.

“He’s certainly done his homework,” Deputy Athletic Director Jean Boyd. “He is prepared to step into this leadership role in a way that has meaning, but he also said straight out that he doesn’t have all the answers. He’s going to become even more versed and engaged with the athletic directors of the conference (to learn).”

While Kliavkoff outlined the importance of football and men’s basketball; he didn’t back away from a commitment to other sports, rather he aligned his vision with the non-revenue sports, particularly women’s athletics as other important pieces to the Pac-12 puzzle, another thought that Anderson agreed with.

“(Kliavkoff) did reiterate the importance of women’s sports, the non-revenue sports across the board, and we happen to believe that’s very important, that’s one of the positives of the Pac-12,” Anderson added. “I really liked hearing that.”

With the added emphasis on athletic success in the biggest of arenas, paired with attention to the non-revenue sports, Kliavkoff looks to take the ‘Conference of Champions’, to new heights with a collective, collaborative approach, as he looks to work with the athletic directors, coaches, and ultimately, the student-athletes of the Pac-12.

“He is the new prototype for a sports commissioner,” Schill stated in the press release. “While George has deep sports experience, his biggest asset is his ability to listen, connect with diverse groups, find common ground, collaborate, and navigate an evolving landscape. We believe George’s overall skills and experience will become even more prevalent in college sports leadership.”

“We think there’s a new spirit, a new understanding,” Anderson reciprocated. “(Kliavkoff) is someone who is very open to building new relationships, and he comes in knowing that he doesn’t know it all.”