Shantel
Key Takeaways:
- Kerry Kenny has been named Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Big Ten Conference, reporting to Commissioner Tony Petitti.
- As COO, Kenny will be responsible for television/broadcast/media rights negotiations, content oversight, digital and social media strategy, as well as the conference’s finance, operational legal, and human resources departments.
- Kenny is a veteran executive within the Big Ten Conference, having served in various roles since joining as an intern in 2008.
About the Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities focused on research, graduate, professional, and undergraduate teaching, as well as public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten Conference upholds shared practices and policies that prioritize academics for student-athletes while promoting integrity, fairness, and competitiveness. The conference supports a wide range of programs across its 14 member institutions, providing substantial financial support to over 9,500 students participating in 350 teams across 28 official conference sports.
Appointment of Kerry Kenny as Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Kerry Kenny has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer of the Big Ten Conference. In this role, he will report to Commissioner Tony Petitti and assume significant responsibilities within the conference office. Kenny’s responsibilities include leading television/broadcast/media rights negotiations and execution, overseeing content, digital and social media strategy, as well as providing oversight for the conference’s finance, operational legal, and human resources departments.
Commissioner Petitti expressed confidence in Kenny’s abilities, citing his extensive experience within the Big Ten Conference and his proven track record of delivering exceptional service to the conference, member institutions, and external partners. Kenny has served the conference in various roles since joining as an intern in 2008, including rules compliance, sport administration, public affairs, sport scheduling, and health and safety. Most recently, he held the position of Senior Vice President, Television, Media Analytics, and Emerging Platforms.
Kerry Kenny expressed his honor at being named Chief Operating Officer and his commitment to serving the conference and its member institutions. He aims to ensure outstanding academic and athletic experiences and resources for the 14 (soon-to-be 16) world-class universities in the Big Ten Conference. Kenny’s achievements include being named to Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 list in April 2023 and The Athletic’s inaugural list of the 40 influential people in college basketball under the age of 40 in October 2020.
For more information about the Big Ten Conference, please visit www.bigten.org.
