Big Ten leaders unanimously approve 5-year contract extension for commissioner Tony Petitti

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti received a five-year contract extension Wednesday by unanimous approval of the conference's leadership.

“Tony has provided outstanding vision for the conference through extremely turbulent times,” said Pamela Whitten, Indiana president and chair of the Big Ten's Council of Presidents and Chancellors. “We’re thankful for his leadership and appreciate his spirit of innovation and collaboration as we continue to navigate the changing landscape of college sports.”

Petitti is a former deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball and president and chief executive officer of MLB Network. He took over as Big Ten commissioner in 2023 after Kevin Warren left to become president and CEO of the Chicago Bears.

Petitti oversaw the Big Ten's expansion from 14 to 18 teams with the additions of Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington in 2024. The conference generated a record $1.47 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2024-25. He also has been a leading voice in helping shape federal legislation to stabilize college athletics.

The Big Ten has won the last three national championships in football and Pettiti has been at the forefront in efforts to expand the College Football Playoff from 12 to 24 teams.

The contract extension will keep Petitti in place to negotiate the next Big Ten media rights contract. The current seven-year, $7 billion deal expires in 2030.

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