Tim Pernetti

Tim Pernetti

Biographical details
Born	(1970-11-02) November 2, 1970 Teaneck, New Jersey
Alma mater	Rutgers University
Playing career
Position(s)	Tight End

Tim Pernetti is 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. According to the club's press release, Pernetti will oversee all business operations for the club, which is set to commence competition in the MLS in March 2015.

Pernetti is the former Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Rutgers University between 2009 and 2013. His appointment began as part of a five-year agreement with the university.

Early life

Tim 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 and 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

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. 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

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.

Personal life

Pernetti sits on the board of directors of the REED Academy, a school in Oakland, NJ serving children with autistic spectrum disorder. 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.