Pac-12 tabs MGM exec George Kliavkoff as next conference commissioner

As Larry Scott nears the end of his time as commissioner in the Pac-12, the conference has found his replacement. MGM Resorts International's George Kliavkoff will take over the league after as the president of entertainment and sports for MGM.

Conference presidents and chancellors voted unanimously to appoint Kliavkoff as the league's next commissioner with his duties to begin July 1. He will have a five-year contract to take over as commissioner.

“I am thrilled to be the Pac-12 Commissioner," Kliavkoff said in a statement provided by the conference. "This is a challenging time for intercollegiate athletics, but I believe these challenges also create significant opportunities. 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.”

Though he has no experience in college athletics, Kliavkoff does have a background in sports and media.

During his tenure at MGM Resorts International, Kliavkoff managed one of the largest live entertainment and sports businesses in the world and also oversaw the company’s sponsorship spend with professional and college sports leagues, conferences—including the Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments and the Pac-12 Football Championship Game—and teams. Additionally, he led the company’s global sponsorship sales efforts and sat on the board of BetMGM, one of the three largest U.S. sports betting companies.

A proponent of women’s sports, he served as a member of the Board of Governors of the WNBA and managed the Las Vegas Aces WNBA franchise prior to selling the team earlier this year to Las Vegas Raiders Owner Mark Davis.

In the media and entertainment space, Kliavkoff co-led the largest and most profitable division at Hearst Entertainment & Syndication, overseeing Hearst’s interests in cable television networks, including ESPN, A&E, Lifetime and HISTORY. He drove significant financial returns for Hearst by managing the purchase of a 50% stake in Mark Burnett Productions, which included signature programming such as Survivor, The Apprentice, Shark Tank, The Voice and The Bible, and then later negotiating a sale to MGM Studios.

Kliavkoff was the first chief digital officer at NBCUniversal, where he set corporate digital media strategy and developed new business models and markets. At NBCU, Kliavkoff partnered with News Corp to incubate and launch Hulu, which became a top five U.S. video site within six months of launch. Kliavkoff served as the interim CEO of Hulu until the first full-time CEO was hired, and he served on the joint venture’s board.

Prior to NBCU, Kliavkoff was executive vice president of business for Major League Baseball Advanced Media and managed corporate development, business development, and baseball’s digital media subscription and licensing businesses.

Kliavkoff started his career as an attorney at prominent law firms in Los Angeles and Seattle and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law.

“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,” said University of Oregon President Michael H. Schill, chair of the five-member search committee. “He is the new prototype for a sports commissioner. 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.”

TurnkeyZRG helped aid the Pac-12 committee in the search for Kliavkoff. The conference committee featured presidents/chancellors from five different schools within the league including Schill, Kirk H. Schulz (Washington State), Ana Mari Cauce (Washington), Phil DiStefano (Colorado) and Carol Folt (USC).

The expectation is that Kliavkoff will guide the conference through an important time with its new media rights negotiations on the horizon.

“It has been an honor to serve as Commissioner of the Pac-12 for the past 11 years, and I believe the Conference is well-positioned for continued success and growth," Scott said of his replacement. "I look forward to working with George and ensuring a smooth transition.”

Kliavkoff was officially introduced during a virtual press conference Thursday morning.

****

> DISCUSS the article with other Arizona fans as the Wildcats continue Building The Tradition

> WATCH the latest videos from GOAZCATS.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel

> FOLLOW us on Twitter (@goazcatscom, @MattGOAZCATS)

> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)

> LIKE us on Facebook

> SUBSCRIBE for all the latest Arizona Wildcats team and recruiting news (subscribe now)