Valarie Ackerman new BE Commissioner
- Thread starter Rob Lenhart
- Start date
ESPN needle or legitimate criticism?
“@ESPNDanaOneil: 9 Revs+1Prez = No Big East Commish yet. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...st-remains-state-confusion-college-basketball”
“@ESPNDanaOneil: 9 Revs+1Prez = No Big East Commish yet. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...st-remains-state-confusion-college-basketball”
tom in salem
Well-known member
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...agree-to-become-commissioner-of-big-east.html
Val Ackerman Said to Agree to Become Big East Commissioner
Val Ackerman has agreed to become commissioner of the Big East conference, adding to a basketball-heavy resume that includes being the first president of the Women’s National Basketball Association, a person with direct knowledge of the hiring said.
The 53-year-old Ackerman was chosen by the presidents of the conference’s 10 universities, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the contract hasn’t been signed.
Other female conference commissioners include Bernadette McGlade of the Atlantic 10 and Robin Harris, executive director of the Ivy League.
NBA Commissioner David Stern, who appointed Ackerman to start up the women’s league, praised her choice as conference chief.
“She brings all of that experience with intelligence, a keen analytical ability, an intense work ethic and a winning management style,” Stern said in an e-mail.
Ackerman didn’t immediately return an e-mail or voice message at home seeking comment on the Big East job.
The Big East is set to begin business in its new form in six days. It is comprised largely of Catholic colleges and universities from the old Big East, which is now called the American Athletic Conference.
Basketball Focus
The league, which retained the rights to the Big East name, includes the so-called Catholic 7, whose presidents voted to leave because they said football-related revenue was becoming too important. The Big East started in 1979 with a focus on basketball.
The holdover schools are Georgetown, St. John’s, Villanova, Seton Hall, Providence, Marquette and DePaul. They are joined by Butler, Creighton and Xavier.
Ackerman ran the WNBA from 1996 to 2005, when she stepped down. She was a staff attorney for the NBA, according to ESPN, and served as the first female president of USA Basketball from 2005 to 2008. She’s a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame board of trustees.
A basketball player at the University of Virginia prior to getting her law degree at UCLA, Ackerman released a report this month commissioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association on the state of women’s basketball and possible changes the sport could make to improve popularity and efficiency.
Female Roster
Linda Bruno was the first female commissioner of a major college conference, serving as head of the Atlantic 10 from 1994 to 2008, and was replaced by McGlade. Carolyn Schlie Femovich has been commissioner of the Patriot League since 1999 and Brenda Weare led the Northeast Conference from 2006 until her death in 2009. In 2011, Amy Huchthausen was named commissioner of the America East, and Harris has led the Ivy League since 2009.
“It’ll be great to have another female join the commissioner ranks, but first and foremost, her extensive leadership experience and accomplishments give her a perspective that will position the Big East for continued success,” Huchthausen, a former Big East intern, said in an e-mail.
The Big East signed a 12-year television contract this year with Fox Sports, a unit of News Corp. (NWSA) The league has also agreed to play its season-ending men’s basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York for the next three years.
Val Ackerman Said to Agree to Become Big East Commissioner
Val Ackerman has agreed to become commissioner of the Big East conference, adding to a basketball-heavy resume that includes being the first president of the Women’s National Basketball Association, a person with direct knowledge of the hiring said.
The 53-year-old Ackerman was chosen by the presidents of the conference’s 10 universities, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the contract hasn’t been signed.
Other female conference commissioners include Bernadette McGlade of the Atlantic 10 and Robin Harris, executive director of the Ivy League.
NBA Commissioner David Stern, who appointed Ackerman to start up the women’s league, praised her choice as conference chief.
“She brings all of that experience with intelligence, a keen analytical ability, an intense work ethic and a winning management style,” Stern said in an e-mail.
Ackerman didn’t immediately return an e-mail or voice message at home seeking comment on the Big East job.
The Big East is set to begin business in its new form in six days. It is comprised largely of Catholic colleges and universities from the old Big East, which is now called the American Athletic Conference.
Basketball Focus
The league, which retained the rights to the Big East name, includes the so-called Catholic 7, whose presidents voted to leave because they said football-related revenue was becoming too important. The Big East started in 1979 with a focus on basketball.
The holdover schools are Georgetown, St. John’s, Villanova, Seton Hall, Providence, Marquette and DePaul. They are joined by Butler, Creighton and Xavier.
Ackerman ran the WNBA from 1996 to 2005, when she stepped down. She was a staff attorney for the NBA, according to ESPN, and served as the first female president of USA Basketball from 2005 to 2008. She’s a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame board of trustees.
A basketball player at the University of Virginia prior to getting her law degree at UCLA, Ackerman released a report this month commissioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association on the state of women’s basketball and possible changes the sport could make to improve popularity and efficiency.
Female Roster
Linda Bruno was the first female commissioner of a major college conference, serving as head of the Atlantic 10 from 1994 to 2008, and was replaced by McGlade. Carolyn Schlie Femovich has been commissioner of the Patriot League since 1999 and Brenda Weare led the Northeast Conference from 2006 until her death in 2009. In 2011, Amy Huchthausen was named commissioner of the America East, and Harris has led the Ivy League since 2009.
“It’ll be great to have another female join the commissioner ranks, but first and foremost, her extensive leadership experience and accomplishments give her a perspective that will position the Big East for continued success,” Huchthausen, a former Big East intern, said in an e-mail.
The Big East signed a 12-year television contract this year with Fox Sports, a unit of News Corp. (NWSA) The league has also agreed to play its season-ending men’s basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York for the next three years.
tom in salem
Well-known member
Don't like that last line.
Pleasedontbanmeagain
Member
She suggested lowering the rim for women's hoops and reducing physicality even more. Doing that would probably result in feminists protesting because they want to be seen as the same as men. I don't think that's what will improve attendance for women's hoops, I think the reason it's low is simple: it's not as entertaining because it's not the top level of hoops out there. Having guys flying through the air dunking is always going to be flashier than a layup. Having 7 footers sending shots into the seats is always going to be flashier than a 5'10 woman doing the same. It's just how it is.
STJ11Redmen
Active member
So college hoops aren't as exciting as the pros because it's not the top level? I mean it's so much better watching teams full of 6'8" guys dunking than small guys like Dwight Hardy draining 3's right?
Pleasedontbanmeagain
Member
The talent gap is much closer from major conference D-1 men's college basketball to the NBA than from the WNBA or women's college hoops to the NBA. At the high major college level for men you will still see many of the same things you see in the NBA. Deep 3's, high-flying dunks, insane blocks, and amazing athleticism. Don't get me wrong, I actually pay attention to women's college basketball, but not nearly the same as I do men's. By the way don't say there's a massive gap between high major men's college hoops and the NBA, because you have freshmen 1 and done's making instant impacts like our very own Harkless. Within gender is a much smaller difference than across gender when regarding sports. I don't understand why it's so taboo to just admit men are much better athletes on average. Of course you will get those awesome women athletes like the Williams sisters in tennis, Danica Patrick in Nascar, or Britney Griner in women's hoops, but those are every once in a blue moon and even the best women athletes often cannot come close to many average male athletes. That's the real reason a major discrepancy exists among sports viewership. It's not the same as the AAA and major leagues, because those both involve the same gender and high level talent not too far away from each other. Same with major college hoops for men vs. NBA.
While I casually disagree with most of what you've said in this thread you're obviously too much of a neanderthal to bother debating gender equality with. However, I have to vehemently disagree with two assertions, first that anyone thinks the women's game will as exciting or popular as the NBA. No one has said anything of the sort. Ackerman's recommendations were purely to improve the product, make the game more fun to watch and maybe generate more viewers and more revenue while attracting more players at the grass roots level. No one expects the Sparks to become the Lakers. Second, car drivers aren't atheletes.