the BigAmateurism monologues

On June 29th, the Big 12 Conference’s university presidents and chancellors hired sports and entertainment industry insider Brett Yormark as the Big 12's new conference commissioner. Yormark has no professional experience in higher education. In its announcement of the hire, the Big 12 lauds Yormark’s impressive credentials as the chief operating officer of Roc Nation, the chief executive officer of the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets, and vice-president of corporate sponsorships for NASCAR. While the Big 12 presidents and chancellors made the final call on Yormark, they hired a head-hunting firm—TurnkeyZRG—to lead the search. Turnkey operates in sports entertainment, media-tech, intercollegiate athletics, and music. The NCAA has also hired Turnkey to secure the next NCAA President and the next NCAA chief financial officer. This episode discusses the absence of emphasis on education in these hires making clear that entertainment and fan engagement have relegated education to the dust bin of Power 5 and NCAA priorities.