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{{Short description|American college athletics administrator}}
[[File:Tim Pernetti IMG 2020.jpg|thumb|Tim Pernetti]]
{{COI|date=April 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox college coach
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Tim Pernetti
| name = Tim Pernetti
| image =
| image = Tim Pernetti IMG 2020.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|11|2}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|11|2}}
| birth_place = [[Teaneck, New Jersey]]
| birth_place = [[Teaneck, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| alma_mater = [[Ramapo High School (New Jersey)|Ramapo High School]], [[Rutgers University]]
| player_years1 = 1989–1993
| player_years1 = 1989–1993
| player_team1 = [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Rutgers]]
| player_team1 = [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Rutgers]]
Line 16: Line 17:
| admin_years1 = 2009–2013
| admin_years1 = 2009–2013
| admin_team1 = [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights|Rutgers]]
| admin_team1 = [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights|Rutgers]]
| overall_record =
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships =
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
}}
⚫
'''Tim Pernetti''' is the Chief Operating Officer of IMG Performance and [[IMG Academy]]. He previously served the company as Executive Vice President of [[IMG (company)|IMG]] Events and Media. He has been an executive at IMG since March of 2015 when he served as the President of [[IMG College]]. Pernetti served previously as the Chief Business Officer of the [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) expansion club [[New York City FC]] (NYCFC). His appointment was announced by the club on September 9, 2013. Pernetti oversaw all business operations for the club, leading up to its first games in March 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nycfc.com/News/Latest-News/2013/September/New%20York%20City%20Chief%20Business%20Officer%20appointed |date=September 9, 2013 |work=nycfc.com |title=Tim Pernetti appointed as CBO }}</ref> After only eighteen months with the club and the successful launch of the Club into MLS play, Pernetti resigned to take a job as President for IMG College. <ref>{{cite web|last1=Bondy|first1=Stefan|title=Tim Pernetti leaving NYCFC after just 18 months for role with WME/IMG|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/soccer/tim-pernetti-leaving-nycfc-article-1.2096224|website=nydailynews.com|publisher=The New York Daily News|accessdate=March 24, 2017}}</ref>


⚫
'''Tim Pernetti''' is the commissioner of the [[American Athletic Conference]], having been named to that position as the successor to [[Michael Aresco|Mike Aresco]] on December 7, 2023<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://theamerican.org/news/2024/4/3/general-tim-pernetti-named-second-commissioner-of-the-american-athletic-conference.aspx |title=Tim Pernetti Named Second Commissioner of the American Athletic Conference |publisher=American Athletic Conference |date=April 3, 2024 |access-date=June 1, 2024}}</ref> and taken office on June 1, 2024.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://theamerican.org/news/2023/12/7/general-commissioner-mike-aresco-announces-retirement.aspx |title=Commissioner Mike Aresco Announces Retirement |publisher=American Athletic Conference |date=December 7, 2023 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |quote=Aresco will remain as The American’s commissioner through May 31.}}</ref> He had previously been president of [[IMG Academy]], having been named to this post by WME/IMG in February 2015. Pernetti served previously as the Chief Business Officer of the [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) expansion club [[New York City FC]] (NYCFC). His appointment was announced by the club on September 9, 2013. Pernetti oversaw all business operations for the club, leading up to its first games in March 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nycfc.com/News/Latest-News/2013/September/New%20York%20City%20Chief%20Business%20Officer%20appointed |date=September 9, 2013 |work=nycfc.com |title=Tim Pernetti appointed as CBO }}</ref> After only eighteen months with the club, and before the first game was played, Pernetti resigned to take a job as President of Multimedia for [[IMG (company)|IMG]]'s college sports business.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bondy|first1=Stefan|title=Tim Pernetti leaving NYCFC after just 18 months for role with WME/IMG|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/soccer/tim-pernetti-leaving-nycfc-article-1.2096224|website=nydailynews.com|publisher=The New York Daily News|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref>
Pernetti is also the former Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at [[Rutgers University]] between 2009 and 2013.<ref name="NY Times">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/sports/ncaafootball/27rutgers.html |title=Former Rutgers Tight End Is Named Athletic Director |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=Dave |last=Caldwell |date=February 26, 2009 |accessdate=May 29, 2013 }}</ref> His appointment began as part of a five-year agreement with the university.


Pernetti is the former Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at [[Rutgers University]] between 2009 and 2013.<ref name="NY Times">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/sports/ncaafootball/27rutgers.html |title=Former Rutgers Tight End Is Named Athletic Director |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=Dave |last=Caldwell |date=February 26, 2009 |access-date=May 29, 2013}}</ref> His appointment began as part of a five-year agreement with the university, but he was forced by then-Rutgers president [[Robert L. Barchi]] to resign early when Barchi learned Pernetti had kept men's basketball coach [[Mike Rice Jr.]] on after being shown evidence of his long-term physical and verbal abuse of players.<ref name="Record">{{cite news |url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/Sullivan_For_days_Rutgers_athletic_director_knew_he_would_have_to_go.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409095655/http://www.northjersey.com/news/Sullivan_For_days_Rutgers_athletic_director_knew_he_would_have_to_go.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2013 |title=For days, Rutgers athletic director knew he would have to go |author1=Tara Sullivan |publisher=[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]] |date=April 5, 2013}}</ref> The media coverage of the event lead to intense public scrutiny of Rutgers and its athletic programs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/magazine/the-coach-who-exploded.html|title=The Coach Who Exploded|author1=Jonathan Mahler|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 10, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/03/rutgers-fire-basketball-coach-mike-rice|title=Rutgers' firing of coach Mike Rice exposes a toxic locker-room culture|author1=Hunter Felt|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
Prior to his appointment at Rutgers, Pernetti was one of the first hires at [[CSTV]], the first-ever college-sports only network, launched in 2003, and sold in 2006 to CBS Sports for $325,000,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/04/business/cbs-to-acquire-cstv-for-325-million-in-stock.html|website=nytimes.com|title=CBS to Acquire CSTV for $325 Million in Stock|publisher=The New York Times|accessdate=November 4, 2005}}</ref> Pernetti ran all college conference and university relationships and oversaw the deal-making, network programming, and talent for the 24-hour home of college sports. It is now known as the [[CBS Sports Network]]. Early in his career Pernetti served as a programming executive and deal-maker at [[ABC Sports]] overseeing college football, college basketball, the PGA Tour, and other professional sports properties and relationships. In 1995 Pernetti was hired in his first job to help ABC Sports to launch its first-ever online presence on [[AOL]] and helped to create two-screen programming on-line during ABC Sports biggest events on Television including the [[Super Bowl]], [[World Series]], College Football, [[PGA Tour]] Golf, and much more.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Tim Pernetti was born on November 2, 1970 at [[Holy Name Medical Center|Holy Name Hospital]] in [[Teaneck, New Jersey]]. He grew up in [[Wyckoff, New Jersey]] and went to Sicomac School for Kindergarten through 6th grades and [[Eisenhower Middle School (Wyckoff)|Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School]] for 7th and 8th grades. He then attended [[Ramapo High School (New Jersey)|Ramapo High School]]. Pernetti played football and basketball at Ramapo and captained the basketball team in 1989. He was also an all-state football player in 1988 and named the Ramapo High School Athlete of the Year in 1989. He was inducted into the Ramapo High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. Pernetti and earned a scholarship to play for the [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Scarlet Knights]] as a [[tight end]] from 1989 to 1993. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass media and a master's degree in communication from Rutgers.
Pernetti was born on November 2, 1970, at [[Holy Name Medical Center|Holy Name Hospital]] in [[Teaneck, New Jersey]]. He grew up in [[Wyckoff, New Jersey]], and went to Sicomac School for Kindergarten through 6th grades and [[Eisenhower Middle School (Wyckoff)|Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School]] for 7th and 8th grades. He then attended [[Ramapo High School (New Jersey)|Ramapo High School]]. Pernetti played football and basketball at Ramapo and captained the basketball team in 1989. He was also an all-state football player in 1988 and named the Ramapo High School Athlete of the Year in 1989. He was inducted into the Ramapo High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. Pernetti then earned a scholarship to play for the [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Scarlet Knights]] as a [[tight end]] from 1989 to 1993. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass media and a master's degree in communication from Rutgers.


==Media and professional career==
==Media management==
{{BLP sources section|date=May 2013}}
From 1994 to 2003, Pernetti worked in various television programming and deal-making positions for [[ABC Sports]]. By 1996, he oversaw the day-to-day college football business for ABC Sports, managing relationships with college football conferences, commissioners, universities and athletic directors and various bowl games. He left ABC Sports in 2003 and joined [[CSTV]] as Vice President of Programming & Talent. Pernetti was responsible for all deal-making and rights acquisitions headlined by the acquisition of exclusive regular season rights to Army Football, Navy Football, and his management of the agreement between the Mountain West Conference and CSTV that produced the [[MountainWest Sports Network]] (MTN), the first-ever collegiate conference branded network. In 2006, CSTV was acquired by [[CBS Television]] Pernetti was promoted to Executive Vice President, Content to oversee the content strategy, programming, rights acquisitions, and relationships for [[CBS College Sports Network]]. He was named a recipient of the [[Sports Business Journal]]'s "40 Under 40" Award recognizing the most powerful and influential people in the sports business under the age of 40 in 2008 and a recipient of the [[MultiChannel News]] 40 Under 40 recognizing the most influential people in cable Television also in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2008/03/03/Forty-Under-40/Tim-Pernetti.aspx | work=Sports Business Journal | title=Tim Pernetti | date=March 3, 2008}}</ref> Pernetti was named Chief Executive at [[Major League Soccer]] expansion franchise [[New York City FC]] in 2013 and built the franchise on the commercial business side in sponsorship, licensing, merchandise and apparel, ticket and premium seating sales, marketing, fan engagement and ran the day-to-day relationship with the franchise co-owners the [[New York Yankees]] and [[Manchester City Football Club]] and [[City Football Group]]. In 2015 Pernetti was recruited from [[NYCFC]] by [[William Morris Endeavor|WME]] who had recently acquired IMG to serve as President of IMG College. Pernetti ran the business at IMG College from March 2015 through April of 2019 and worked as part of the team that oversaw and executed the $2,000,000,000 merger between IMG College and Learfield. The company is now known as Learfield IMG College.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2019/01/07/Colleges/Learfield.aspx|work=Sports Business Journal|title=What’s next after $2 billion Learfield-IMG College merger?|date=January 7, 2019}}</ref> Following the successful transition of the IMG College business, Pernetti was named Executive Vice President, Endeavor, the parent company to WME, IMG, the [[UFC]] and various other properties and companies.
From 1994 to 2003, Pernetti worked in various television programming positions for [[ABC Sports]]. By 1996, he oversaw the day-to-day college football business for ABC Sports, managing relationships with college football bowl games. He left ABC Sports in 2003 and joined [[CSTV]] as Vice President of Programming & Talent. Pernetti managed the agreement between the Mountain West Conference and CSTV that produced the MTN network. In 2006, CSTV was acquired by [[CBS Television]] Pernetti was promoted to oversee the content strategy, rights acquisitions, and relationships for [[CBS College Sports Network]]. He was named a recipient of the [[Sports Business Journal]]'s "40 Under 40" Award recognizing the most powerful and influential people in the sports business under the age of 40 in 2008 and a recipient of the MultiChannel News 40 under 40 recognizing the most influential people in cable Television also in 2008.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} From 2001 to 2009, Pernetti also worked as a football analyst for Rutgers Football and [[Sports USA Radio]] network's coverage of the [[NFL]]. He also was a regular TV contributor as a college football analyst on [[SportsNet New York|SNY]] in 2006 and 2007, and performed TV game analyst duties on [[Fox Sports Net|FSN]] and [[ESPN Regional Television]] from 2002 to 2005.


==Athletic director==
From 2001 to 2009, Pernetti moonlighted as a football color analyst for Rutgers Football and [[Sports USA Radio]] network's coverage of the [[NFL]]. He also was a regular TV contributor as a college football and college business analyst on [[SportsNet New York|SNY]] in 2006 and 2007, and performed TV game analyst duties on [[Fox Sports Net|FSN]] and [[ESPN Regional Television]] from 2002 to 2005.
⚫
On April 1, 2009, Pernetti began work as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University as part of a five-year contract. In the role he oversaw 24 men's and women's sports, fundraising and development, a staff of more than 200 employees and also oversaw coaching searches and hires in men's and women's sports. Pernetti is credited with transforming the business at Rutgers and for record-breaking fundraising results in four years. During his tenure, Rutgers Athletics generated more than $100M in incremental revenue for the department. Pernetti is also credited with building the Rutgers Athletics brand, and creating more media visibility than ever before. Pernetti is credited with negotiating the agreement to bring Rutgers to the Big Ten Conference in 2014. For his efforts, Pernetti was named one of the five candidates for Sports Business Journal National Athletic Director of the Year.


⚫
===Men's basketball controversy===
==Director of Athletics, Rutgers University==
Pernetti came under fire in April 2013 when a video surfaced showing men's basketball coach [[Mike Rice Jr.|Mike Rice]] abusing his players during practice. The video showed Rice throwing basketballs at players, including at their heads, kicking players, and calling players homophobic slurs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/sports/ncaabasketball/rutgers-coach-mike-rice-facing-scrutiny-after-video-airs.html?ref=sports |work=The New York Times |title=Rutgers Coach Mike Rice Facing Scrutiny After Video Airs |date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> When Pernetti was made aware of Rice's behavior at team practices, he opted to suspend Rice for 3 games, fine him $50,000, and require that he complete anger management courses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9125796/practice-video-shows-rutgers-basketball-coach-mike-rice-berated-pushed-used-slurs-players |title=Practice video shows Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice berated, pushed and used slurs against players - ESPN |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=January 1, 2008 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
⚫
On April 1, 2009 Pernetti began work as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University as part of a five-year contract. In the role he oversaw 24 men's and women's sports, fundraising and development, a staff of more than 200 employees and also oversaw coaching searches and hires in men's and women's sports. Pernetti is credited with transforming the business at Rutgers and for record-breaking fundraising results in four years. During his tenure, Rutgers Athletics generated more than $100M in incremental revenue for the department. Pernetti is also credited, given his broad-based media background, with the creative and powerful amplification of the Rutgers Athletics brand, and creating more media visibility than ever before for Athletics. Pernetti made his mark by strategically and quietly navigating the chaos of conference expansion from 2009-2012 and perfectly positioning Rutgers by negotiating the agreement to bring Rutgers to the Big Ten Conference in 2012 <ref>{{cite news| url=https://newyork.sbnation.com/rutgers-scarlet-knights-football/2012/11/20/3670856/rutgers-big-ten-acc-press-conference | work=SB Nation | title=Rutgers announces press conference for Big Ten move | accessdate=November 20, 2012}}</ref>. For his efforts, Pernetti was named one of the five candidates in 2013 for [[Sports Business Journal]] National Athletic Director of the Year.


⚫
However, Pernetti chose not to fire Rice, and the reasons behind the discipline were not made public. After [[ESPN]]'s ''[[Outside the Lines]]'' aired the video on April 2, 2013, many expressed their disbelief on blogs<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/story/_/id/9127365/rutgers-athletic-director-tim-pernetti-school-president-robert-barchi-need-go-too |title=Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti and school president Robert Barchi need to go, too - ESPN New York |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=January 1, 2008 |access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref> and on Twitter that Rice had not been fired and that Pernetti should now be fired for his leniency toward Rice, whom Pernetti had hired as one of his first major acts as Rutgers AD.<ref>{{cite web |author=[[Associated Press]]|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/rutgers-fires-athletic-director-tim-pernetti-040513|title=Report: Rutgers fires AD Pernetti|work=[[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]|date=April 5, 2013|access-date=April 5, 2013|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407102601/http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/rutgers-fires-athletic-director-tim-pernetti-040513|archive-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref> Elected officials joined the ensuing outcry, with [[Governor of New Jersey|New Jersey Governor]] [[Chris Christie]] condemning Rice's behavior, and [[New Jersey General Assembly|State Assembly]] Speaker [[Sheila Oliver]] demanding that Rice be fired.<ref>ESPN. [https://www.espn.com/new-york/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9128825/rutgers-scarlet-knights-fire-coach-mike-rice-wake-video-scandal Rutgers fires coach Mike Rice]</ref> When school president [[Robert Barchi]] saw the video for the first time on the night of April 2 (though he had signed off on the decision to suspend Rice in November), he called in Pernetti and told him that Rice had to leave immediately. Rice was fired the next day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/04/mike_rice_fired_rutgers_univer.html |title=Rutgers coach Mike Rice's recent firing casts spotlight on tangled tale |date=April 4, 2013}}</ref>
⚫
===Men's basketball===
Pernetti was recognized nationally following Rutgers' announcement of the move to the Big Ten for his vision, leadership and business acumen. He was recognized as one of the top 5 key power players in New Jersey sports and politics <ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/politi/2012/08/politi_the_25_most_influential_1.html | work=Star Ledger | title=Politi: Fourth annual Juice List of 25 most influential people in New Jersey sports topped by Eric LeGrand | accessdate=August 26, 2012}}</ref> and was profiled as a visionary <ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/2013/01/tim_pernetti_the_face_of_rutge.html | work=Star Ledger | title=Part visionary, part politician: Rutgers' Tim Pernetti could be prototype for the modern AD | accessdate=January 6, 2013}}</ref>. Rutgers President Robert Barchi called Pernetti "remarkable" on November 20, 2012 when he credited him solely with bringing the opportunity to fruition. Barchi stated "I applaud Tim Pernetti on this extremely positive development for Rutgers. He has been working for a long time to ensure that, in this period of athletic conference realignment, Rutgers would emerge in a stronger, more advantageous position. Joining the Big Ten is the most appropriate match for Rutgers with the very best long-term potential for our athletic program. It is where we belong." <ref>{{cite web|url=https://president.rutgers.edu/public-remarks/letters/joining-big-ten-conference|title=Joining the Big Ten Conference|}}</ref> Pernetti did however come under fire in April 2013 when a video surfaced showing men's basketball coach [[Mike Rice Jr.|Mike Rice]] mistreating players during practice. The video showed Rice throwing basketballs at players, and calling players names including homophobic slurs.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/sports/ncaabasketball/rutgers-coach-mike-rice-facing-scrutiny-after-video-airs.html?ref=sports&_r=0 | work=The New York Times | title=Rutgers Coach Mike Rice Facing Scrutiny After Video Airs | date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> When Pernetti was made aware of Rice's behavior at team practices, he followed Rutgers policy and procedure launching an internal and third-party investigation. Pernetti wanted to fire Rice immediately but the investigation proved results that were unclear in supporting a termination for cause. The Committee for Athletics, and Rutgers attorneys and Pernetti suspended Rice with more severe punishment than had been seen in college basketball in the modern era. Rice was removed from the program, suspended without pay for 3 games, fined $50,000 and required to complete and satisfactorily pass anger management training.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9125796/practice-video-shows-rutgers-basketball-coach-mike-rice-berated-pushed-used-slurs-players |title=Practice video shows Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice berated, pushed and used slurs against players - ESPN |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=January 1, 2008 |accessdate=April 3, 2013}}</ref>


On April 3, Barchi told Pernetti that he also had to go, and gave him the option of either resigning or being fired. After two days of negotiations, Pernetti resigned on April 5. He later said that he wanted to fire Rice in December, but did not believe at the time that Rutgers policy would support a firing.<ref name="Record" />
⚫
The reasons behind the discipline were not made public. After [[ESPN]]'s ''[[Outside the Lines]]'' aired the video on April 2, 2013, many expressed their disbelief on blogs<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/new-york/story/_/id/9127365/rutgers-athletic-director-tim-pernetti-school-president-robert-barchi-need-go-too |title=Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti and school president Robert Barchi need to go, too - ESPN New York |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=January 1, 2008 |accessdate=April 3, 2013}}</ref> and on Twitter that Rice had not been fired and that Rutgers should be held accountable for its leniency toward Rice, whom Pernetti had hired as one of his first major acts as Rutgers AD.<ref>{{cite web|author=[[Associated Press]]|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/rutgers-fires-athletic-director-tim-pernetti-040513|title=Report: Rutgers fires AD Pernetti|publisher=[[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox Sports]]|date=April 5, 2013|accessdate=April 5, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407102601/http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/rutgers-fires-athletic-director-tim-pernetti-040513|archivedate=April 7, 2013}}</ref> Elected officials joined the ensuing outcry, with [[Governor of New Jersey|New Jersey Governor]] [[Chris Christie]] condemning Rice's behavior, and [[New Jersey General Assembly|State Assembly]] Speaker [[Sheila Oliver]] demanding that Rice be fired.<ref>ESPN. [http://espn.go.com/new-york/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9128825/rutgers-scarlet-knights-fire-coach-mike-rice-wake-video-scandal Rutgers fires coach Mike Rice]</ref> When school president [[Robert Barchi]] saw the video for the first time on the night of April 2, after refusing to watch it for months despite Pernetti's urging (though Barchi had signed off on the decision to suspend Rice in November and publicly recognized and commended Pernetti for his handling of the situation), he called in Pernetti and told him that Rice had to leave immediately. Rice was fired the next day.<ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/04/mike_rice_fired_rutgers_univer.html</ref>

On April 3, Barchi caved to the political and public/social media pressure of the situation and in order to save his own job told Pernetti that he also would likely be fired, and gave him the option of either resigning or being fired. After two days of negotiations, Pernetti resigned on April 5 in what he called "the best interest of Rutgers" <ref>{{cite news|url=https://scarletknights.com/news/2013/4/5/Letter_of_Resignation_from_Tim_Pernetti.aspx|title=Letter of Resignation from Tim Pernetti | publisher=Scarletknights.com | date=April 5, 2013}}</ref>. He later made clear that he wanted to fire Rice in December, but was advised at the time that the results of the investigation, attorney's recommendations and Rutgers policy would not support a firing.<ref name=Record>{{cite news|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409095655/http://www.northjersey.com/news/Sullivan_For_days_Rutgers_athletic_director_knew_he_would_have_to_go.html|title=For days, Rutgers athletic director knew he would have to go|author1=Tara Sullivan|publisher=[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]|date=April 5, 2013}}</ref> Alumni and prominent donors spoke publicly, rescinded their donations and financial commitments, and expressed outrage at Rutgers actions to scapegoat Pernetti for a process and a decision owned and run by many. Former student-athletes such as Shaun O'Hara, Eric LeGrand, Devin and Jason McCourty, Brian Leonard, Mohammed Sanu, Ray Rice and others in addition to numerous other supporters publicly spoke on his high character and poor manner in which the situation was handled. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2013/04/ray_rice_leads_a_grassroots_ef.html |title=Ray Rice leads a grassroots effort to save Tim Pernetti's job, but will it matter? |publisher=Star Ledger|date=April 5, 2013 |accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref> Once Pernetti resigned, alumni, fans, donors and former players invested to permanently commemorate Pernetti's unmatched contributions to Rutgers as both a student-athlete and Director of Athletics by purchasing a brick on the Scarlet Walk where the football team walks on game-day to enter the stadium.[[File:Pernetti_Scarlet_Walk_Brick.jpg |thumb| Pernetti Brick at the Rutgers Scarlet Walk]]


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Pernetti is involved in many charitable and community organizations. He sits on the board of directors of the REED Academy, a school in Oakland, NJ serving children with autistic spectrum disorder.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reedacademy.org/about/boardofdirectors.html |title=Home |publisher=REED Academy – board of directors |accessdate=April 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804021241/http://www.reedacademy.org/about/boardofdirectors.html |archivedate=August 4, 2012 }}</ref> Pernetti also sits on the Board of Directors for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and Team LeGrand, the foundation of former Rutgers Football Player, Eric LeGrand.
Pernetti sits on the board of directors of the REED Academy, a school in Oakland, New Jersey, serving children with autistic spectrum disorder.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reedacademy.org/about/boardofdirectors.html |title=Home |publisher=REED Academy – board of directors |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804021241/http://www.reedacademy.org/about/boardofdirectors.html |archive-date=August 4, 2012}}</ref> Pernetti also sits on the Board of Directors for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and Team LeGrand, the recently formed foundation of former Rutgers Football Player, Eric LeGrand. He and his wife Danielle have three children.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


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[[Category:1970 births]]
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American Athletic Conference commissioners]]
[[Category:American football tight ends]]
[[Category:American football tight ends]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer executives]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer executives]]
[[Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights athletic directors]]
[[Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights athletic directors]]
[[Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football players]]
[[Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football players]]
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[[Category:People from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Teaneck, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Teaneck, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Wyckoff, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Wyckoff, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Players of American football from New Jersey]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Bergen County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Ramapo High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:Ramapo High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
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[[Category:Sportspeople from Bergen County, New Jersey]]

Latest revision as of 13:53, 1 December 2024

Tim Pernetti
Biographical details
Born (1970-11-02) November 2, 1970 (age 54)
Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
1989–1993Rutgers
Position(s)Tight end
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2009–2013Rutgers

Tim Pernetti is the commissioner of the American Athletic Conference, having been named to that position as the successor to Mike Aresco on December 7, 2023[1] and taken office on June 1, 2024.[2] He had previously been president of IMG Academy, having been named to this post by WME/IMG in February 2015. Pernetti served previously as the Chief Business Officer of the Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion club New York City FC (NYCFC). His appointment was announced by the club on September 9, 2013. Pernetti oversaw all business operations for the club, leading up to its first games in March 2015.[3] After only eighteen months with the club, and before the first game was played, Pernetti resigned to take a job as President of Multimedia for IMG's college sports business.[4]

Pernetti is the former Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University between 2009 and 2013.[5] His appointment began as part of a five-year agreement with the university, but he was forced by then-Rutgers president Robert L. Barchi to resign early when Barchi learned Pernetti had kept men's basketball coach Mike Rice Jr. on after being shown evidence of his long-term physical and verbal abuse of players.[6] The media coverage of the event lead to intense public scrutiny of Rutgers and its athletic programs.[7][8]

Early life

[edit]

Pernetti was born on November 2, 1970, at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey. He grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, and went to Sicomac School for Kindergarten through 6th grades and Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School for 7th and 8th grades. He then attended Ramapo High School. Pernetti played football and basketball at Ramapo and captained the basketball team in 1989. He was also an all-state football player in 1988 and named the Ramapo High School Athlete of the Year in 1989. He was inducted into the Ramapo High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. Pernetti then earned a scholarship to play for the Scarlet Knights as a tight end from 1989 to 1993. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass media and a master's degree in communication from Rutgers.

Media management

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From 1994 to 2003, Pernetti worked in various television programming positions for ABC Sports. By 1996, he oversaw the day-to-day college football business for ABC Sports, managing relationships with college football bowl games. He left ABC Sports in 2003 and joined CSTV as Vice President of Programming & Talent. Pernetti managed the agreement between the Mountain West Conference and CSTV that produced the MTN network. In 2006, CSTV was acquired by CBS Television Pernetti was promoted to oversee the content strategy, rights acquisitions, and relationships for CBS College Sports Network. He was named a recipient of the Sports Business Journal's "40 Under 40" Award recognizing the most powerful and influential people in the sports business under the age of 40 in 2008 and a recipient of the MultiChannel News 40 under 40 recognizing the most influential people in cable Television also in 2008.[citation needed] From 2001 to 2009, Pernetti also worked as a football analyst for Rutgers Football and Sports USA Radio network's coverage of the NFL. He also was a regular TV contributor as a college football analyst on SNY in 2006 and 2007, and performed TV game analyst duties on FSN and ESPN Regional Television from 2002 to 2005.

Athletic director

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On April 1, 2009, Pernetti began work as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University as part of a five-year contract. In the role he oversaw 24 men's and women's sports, fundraising and development, a staff of more than 200 employees and also oversaw coaching searches and hires in men's and women's sports. Pernetti is credited with transforming the business at Rutgers and for record-breaking fundraising results in four years. During his tenure, Rutgers Athletics generated more than $100M in incremental revenue for the department. Pernetti is also credited with building the Rutgers Athletics brand, and creating more media visibility than ever before. Pernetti is credited with negotiating the agreement to bring Rutgers to the Big Ten Conference in 2014. For his efforts, Pernetti was named one of the five candidates for Sports Business Journal National Athletic Director of the Year.

Men's basketball controversy

[edit]

Pernetti came under fire in April 2013 when a video surfaced showing men's basketball coach Mike Rice abusing his players during practice. The video showed Rice throwing basketballs at players, including at their heads, kicking players, and calling players homophobic slurs.[9] When Pernetti was made aware of Rice's behavior at team practices, he opted to suspend Rice for 3 games, fine him $50,000, and require that he complete anger management courses.[10]

However, Pernetti chose not to fire Rice, and the reasons behind the discipline were not made public. After ESPN's Outside the Lines aired the video on April 2, 2013, many expressed their disbelief on blogs[11] and on Twitter that Rice had not been fired and that Pernetti should now be fired for his leniency toward Rice, whom Pernetti had hired as one of his first major acts as Rutgers AD.[12] Elected officials joined the ensuing outcry, with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie condemning Rice's behavior, and State Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver demanding that Rice be fired.[13] When school president Robert Barchi saw the video for the first time on the night of April 2 (though he had signed off on the decision to suspend Rice in November), he called in Pernetti and told him that Rice had to leave immediately. Rice was fired the next day.[14]

On April 3, Barchi told Pernetti that he also had to go, and gave him the option of either resigning or being fired. After two days of negotiations, Pernetti resigned on April 5. He later said that he wanted to fire Rice in December, but did not believe at the time that Rutgers policy would support a firing.[6]

Personal life

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Pernetti sits on the board of directors of the REED Academy, a school in Oakland, New Jersey, serving children with autistic spectrum disorder.[15] Pernetti also sits on the Board of Directors for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, and Team LeGrand, the recently formed foundation of former Rutgers Football Player, Eric LeGrand. He and his wife Danielle have three children.

References

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  1. ^ "Tim Pernetti Named Second Commissioner of the American Athletic Conference" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. April 3, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "Commissioner Mike Aresco Announces Retirement" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. December 7, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2024. Aresco will remain as The American's commissioner through May 31.
  3. ^ "Tim Pernetti appointed as CBO". nycfc.com. September 9, 2013.
  4. ^ Bondy, Stefan. "Tim Pernetti leaving NYCFC after just 18 months for role with WME/IMG". nydailynews.com. The New York Daily News. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  5. ^ Caldwell, Dave (February 26, 2009). "Former Rutgers Tight End Is Named Athletic Director". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  6. ^ a b Tara Sullivan (April 5, 2013). "For days, Rutgers athletic director knew he would have to go". The Record. Archived from the original on April 9, 2013.
  7. ^ Jonathan Mahler (November 10, 2013). "The Coach Who Exploded". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Hunter Felt (April 3, 2013). "Rutgers' firing of coach Mike Rice exposes a toxic locker-room culture". The Guardian.
  9. ^ "Rutgers Coach Mike Rice Facing Scrutiny After Video Airs". The New York Times. April 2, 2013.
  10. ^ "Practice video shows Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice berated, pushed and used slurs against players - ESPN". Espn.go.com. January 1, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  11. ^ "Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti and school president Robert Barchi need to go, too - ESPN New York". Espn.go.com. January 1, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  12. ^ Associated Press (April 5, 2013). "Report: Rutgers fires AD Pernetti". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
  13. ^ ESPN. Rutgers fires coach Mike Rice
  14. ^ "Rutgers coach Mike Rice's recent firing casts spotlight on tangled tale". April 4, 2013.
  15. ^ "Home". REED Academy – board of directors. Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
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