Tony Petitti opens up on how media experience benefits him as Big Ten commissioner

Tony Petitti had previous media experience with the MLB prior to taking on the responsibility of Big Ten commissioner. Now that the conference has a brand new media deal with multiple networks, Petitti has the take of managing the biggest media deal in college athletics.

“I think in terms of leading organizations and trying to react, I think everything that you pointed out well, it’s a challenge,” Petitti said on Big Noon Conversations with Joel Klatt. “It’s also an incredible opportunity. So the positive is the other side you think about, ‘Hey, these are challenges.’ It can 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.” 

Petitti previously served as the president and chief executive officer of the MLB Network, where he oversaw all of the network’s day-to-day operations.

“I’m confident that we will,” Petitti said. “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, in the MLB: 30 owners, 30 team presidents, 30 GMs, 30 baseball ops, 30 ticketing staffs, and you’re working collectively in the central office to to make sure all those things are best for everybody. 

“And the balance between teams that look very different then have to compete with every day. 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.”

Tony Petitti comes with prior experience to help Big Ten

Petitti has a new vision for the Big Ten, or at least a vision that can help usher the conference into the next era. With USC and UCLA coming in, the Big Ten goes coast to coast starting in 2024. It only gets more unique.

“To be to be clear, I think part of what I had to convince people was that I’m not just a media person that did a lot of other things,” Petitti said. “But like they see that and that comes through the resume and I’m proud of that.

“Don’t get me wrong. I love every second 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.”