Tony Petitti
Big Ten Commissioner
The Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COPC) voted unanimously on April 11, 2023, to select Tony Petitti as the seventh commissioner in conference history. Commissioner Petitti joins an esteemed lineage of Big Ten Conference Commissioners, beginning with John Griffith (1922-45), Tug Wilson (1945-61), Bill Reed (1961-71), Wayne Duke (1971-89), Jim Delany (1989-2020) and Kevin Warren (2019-23).
Commissioner Petitti officially begins his tenure with the Big Ten Conference on May 15, 2023.
Petitti is a proven leader who brings nearly four decades of sports, business and media industry acumen to the Big Ten Conference. He served as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball and president and chief executive officer of MLB Network.
A 14-time National Sports Emmy Award winner, Petitti has held senior executive roles at CBS Sports and ABC Sports overseeing rights acquisition deals for a variety of sports leagues and collegiate and professional sports events, including the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, regular season men’s basketball, college football, NFL, PGA Tour, the Masters, U.S. Open Tennis Championships, and the Little League World Series, as well as assisting in the creation of the Bowl Championship Series to determine college football’s national champion.
Most recently Petitti was recruited by Liberty Media and The Baupost Group to serve as an advisor to evaluate sports and media properties, including the launch of The 33rd Team, a digital content company covering the NFL where he was installed as the co-chief executive officer.
As Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer for Major League Baseball from 2014-2020, Petitti was involved in all aspects of MLB including leading broadcast and digital media, special events (All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, MLB postseason scheduling and operations), MLB Network, MLB social media, consumer products and licensing, marketing, youth development, international, and security. He closely collaborated with 30 MLB team owners and presidents, and key business and operational partners to incorporate ideas and feedback to improve the creation and execution of strategic initiatives. Petitti also participated on MLB’s Competition Committee.
As President and Chief Executive Officer of MLB Network from 2008-2014, Petitti led the imagination, creation, buildout and launch of MLB Network in 50 million homes which, at the time, was the largest launch of a cable network in history. Petitti’s vision touched every aspect of content and operations including programming, on-air talent, production team, studio creation, and supporting facilities.
Prior to MLB, Petitti was the executive vice president of CBS Sports from 2002-2008. He led the sports programming division and had added responsibility as executive producer for all CBS Sports telecasts. From 1999 to 2002, Petitti served as vice president and general manager of WCBS-TV New York. While at WCBS-TV, Petitti oversaw the transformation and reshaping of the CBS flagship station, including acquiring the over-the-air rights to broadcast New York Yankees games. In addition to his work at WCBS-TV, Petitti also continued his association with CBS Sports as special advisor to the president of the division.
Petitti joined CBS Sports as senior vice president, business affairs and programming in February 1997. His responsibilities included managing the division's programming and business affairs activities, including all contract negotiations and future acquisitions.
Prior to CBS, Petitti held multiple positions at ABC Sports from 1988-1996, including vice president, programming, where he oversaw the acquisition and scheduling of ABC Sports programming, including college football regular-season and bowl games, college basketball, track and field, the Little League World Series and NASCAR events. Petitti joined ABC Sports in 1988 as a general attorney. Prior to ABC Sports, Petitti spent two years at the law firm of Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft.
Petitti earned an economics degree from Haverford College in 1983. At Haverford College in Pennsylvania, Petitti played catcher for the baseball team. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1986. He has two daughters, Danielle, a graduate of Vanderbilt University who resides in London, England and Ally, a graduate of the University of Southern California who resides in Los Angeles.
