The Pac 12 Conference has hired former MGM Resorts and Hearst executive George Kliavkoff as its new commissioner, effective July 1.
The five-year agreement calls for Kliavkoff, 54, to oversee all operations of the 12-team conference. Kliavkoff replaces former commissioner Larry Scott, who had served as commissioner since 2009.
Kliavkoff joins the Pac-12 from MGM Resorts International, where he served as president of entertainment and sports. He also has an extensive background in entertainment, having served at Hearst Entertainment & Syndication overseeing Hearst’s interests in cable television networks, including ESPN, A&E, Lifetime and History.
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Kliavkoff also held the chief digital officer position at NBCUniversal, and led the company’s partnership with News Corp to incubate and launch the Hulu streaming service, where he also served as interim CEO. Prior to NBCU, Kliavkoff was executive vice president of business for Major League Baseball Advanced Media.
“At each step of his career, George has navigated complex, quickly changing environments and has been a successful consensus builder,” said University of Oregon President Michael Schill, chairman of the five-member search committee that selected Kliavkoff statement. “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.”
