Overview
- The Big Ten's council of presidents and chancellors unanimously approved the five-year extension on Wednesday, keeping Petitti as commissioner through June 2033.
- Conference officials said the extension is meant to ensure continuity for negotiations over the next media-rights contract, which replaces the current seven-year, $7 billion deal that expires in 2030.
- Petitti joined the Big Ten as commissioner in May 2023 after senior executive roles in Major League Baseball and at MLB Network, bringing broadcast and league experience to the post.
- Under his tenure the conference expanded from 14 to 18 teams with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington in 2024 and posted a record $1.47 billion in fiscal 2024–25 revenue while winning three straight football national titles.
- Keeping Petitti in place could shape how the conference handles revenue sharing, playoff expansion talks and federal policy engagement, and it gives member schools a stable lead negotiator for the next rights cycle.