Rutgers AD: Big East needs right leaders
Rutgers' athletic director Tim Pernetti speaks after being introduced to the fans during halftime of an NCAA men's college basketball game against South Florida. (March 7, 2009) Credit: AP
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti said he's not interested in becoming the Big East's next commissioner, saying he still has "a lot to get done" in Piscataway.
"I'm flattered that people would suggest that," Pernetti said at a Yankees/New Era Pinstripe Bowl charity golf event at Forsgate Country Club Tuesday. "Beyond that, I've really not spent much time thinking about anything except what we're trying to get done at Rutgers."
Pernetti was an executive vice president at CBS College Sports Network before becoming the Rutgers AD. His television background makes him a noteworthy name to consider for replacing John Marinatto, who resigned as commissioner May 7.
Joe Bailey is serving as interim commissioner but has said he doesn't want the job permanently. Pernetti, in his third year as Rutgers AD, said he'd like to see a new commissioner in place as soon as possible.
"I'm convinced that the league has opportunities ahead of it to do some things to stabilize its future," Pernetti said. "It's an urgent matter that we figure out how to get the right leadership in place so that we can get those laid out and executed upon in the next 3-6 months, which will be a critical time for everybody in the league."
Pernetti was referring to this fall, when the Big East will negotiate a new TV deal with ESPN. Last year, the conference turned down an offer from ESPN reportedly worth $155 million annually.
The TV negotiations are just part of the Big East's unsettled future. Pittsburgh filed a lawsuit last week against the Big East to allow it to exit by 2013. Pittsburgh and Syracuse are scheduled to leave the Big East in July 2014. West Virginia and TCU, which had agreed to join the Big East, are headed for the Big 12 in July. The Big East has responded by adding schools from all over the country -- Boise State, San Diego State and Navy as football-only members and Central Florida, Houston, Memphis, SMU and Temple as all-sports members.
CBSSports.com, however, reported last week that Boise State might be reconsidering its move to the Big East.
If the Big East's situation further deteriorates, Rutgers, the only FBS school in the metropolitan market, may need to explore its options.
"At the end of the day, there's no way that the college football team in the media capital of the world is going to be left in a bad situation," new Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood said. "There's no doubt that Rutgers will get taken of."
