Kevin Warren on Jan. 1 will assume the reins of one of the NCAA’s Power 5 Conferences, making him the first African American to do so. He will also be only the sixth commissioner in the 123-year history of the Big Ten.
Outgoing Commissioner Jim Delaney departs with an impressive legacy. While fun and games for fans, college athletics has become very big business and, under his leadership, the conference saw its revenue and television contracts grow significantly, including his spearheading of the Big Ten Network. The league is financially healthy and, by all accounts, on stable ground when Warren is handed the keys next year.