Desperate for a different direction to turn around its struggling conference, the Pac-12 has settled on an unexpected leader from outside college sports.
The Pac-12 has hired George Kliavkoff, president of entertainment and sports at MGM Resorts International, as its new commissioner.
Kliavkoff, who has no experience in college sports, takes the reins of a conference in steep decline at a crucial juncture, with negotiations for a media rights deal imminent and the conference still struggling to compete on the football field.
The Vegas entertainment executive does have minimal experience within landscape of professional sports, having served on the WNBA board of governors and as executive vice president of advanced media within Major League Baseball from 2003 to 2006.