Tim Brosnan Named BIG EAST Commissioner
Tim Brosnan - a highly successful executive with decades of experience in sports, business, and media - has been named the sixth Commissioner of the BIG EAST Conference. The former Georgetown student-athlete succeeds Val Ackerman, who announced her retirement this past April, and will begin his tenure on Sept. 1, 2026.
Today's announcement follows a comprehensive national search conducted by the conference's Board of Directors - comprised of the Presidents of the BIG EAST's 11 member institutions - with support from Elevate Talent. Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President of St. John's University and Chair of the conference's Board of Directors, served as the head of the search committee.
"In our search for the next Commissioner of the BIG EAST, we prioritized finding someone with extensive experience in the area of revenue generation and who would best fit the mission and vision of our conference going forward."
Rev. Shanley
O.P., President of St. John's University and Chair of the conference's Board of Directors
"Over the course of his career, Tim Brosnan has shown to be a smart, highly-respected leader with high personal and professional values rooted in his dedication to the service of others. His track record of forging highly successful partnerships will be critical in this new era of college athletics. Tim is a relationship-builder and, as a former student-athlete in the conference, cares deeply about the success of the young men and women who represent the BIG EAST."
Brosnan's vast leadership experience in sports runs deep. During his 24-year tenure with Major League Baseball, Brosnan elevated to the role of Executive Vice President for Business and President and CEO of Major League Baseball Enterprises, where he reported directly to the Commissioner and a Board of ten MLB owners. He has been widely recognized for his impact on sports, having made nine appearances on Sports Business Journal's "50 Most Influential People in Sports" and 11 appearances on The Sporting News' “100 Most Powerful People in Sports.” In 2014, following a nationwide search, Brosnan was chosen to be one of three finalists to stand for election as the 10th Commissioner of Major League Baseball.
"The BIG EAST is one of the most iconic brands in college sports, and I am grateful and deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead the conference into its next chapter."
Tim Brosnan
Commissioner of the BIG EAST
"Together with our member institutions, and all of our BIG EAST partners, we will continue to elevate the student-athlete experience, strengthen the conference's competitive position, and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead while staying true to the values that have defined the BIG EAST for generations."
He began his career at MLB in 1991 as the Vice President for Business Affairs with Major League Baseball International before being named its President and CEO two years later. In 2000, Brosnan was elevated to Executive Vice President for Business, overseeing all worldwide business functions of MLB, including broadcasting and media rights, licensing, corporate sales, marketing, special events, MLB Charities, and MLB Productions. Among his many prominent roles, Brosnan spearheaded negotiations for all national media rights. Under his leadership, MLB struck landmark media agreements highlighted by triple-digit increases in rights fees. In total, Brosnan ran the media negotiations that generated over $20 billion to MLB during his tenure.
Two groundbreaking projects that Brosnan developed and launched were the MLB Network and the World Baseball Classic. A first of its kind, 24/7 baseball-only cable channel, the MLB Network was launched in 2009 to 50 million households. At its launch, it was the most successful of any in cable television history. The World Baseball Classic, first played in March 2006, was conceived and planned by Brosnan and has now grown to be the primary asset in the global expansion plans of MLB, while serving as a significant vehicle to attract younger and global fan bases.
Following his storied career at MLB, Brosnan continued to run a sports media consultancy that he started in 2015, which found him as an acting CEO of PrimeSport, a board member of both private and public companies, and a general consultant to clients that have included several MLB Clubs, private equity companies Carlyle and KKR, and sports and entertainment businesses such as the United Soccer League, Activision, FanDuel, TBT Enterprises, and the American Flag Football League.
Brosnan's ties to the BIG EAST began with his career as a student-athlete in the formative years of the league. He was a four-year letter winner as a pitcher on Georgetown's baseball team, captaining the Hoyas as a senior. He has served on the Board of Regents at his alma mater, chairing the Athletic Committee. From 2021-25, Brosnan served as the chief executive of Hoyas Rising, a private company which served as the external name, image, and likeness arm for Georgetown Athletics. After graduating from Georgetown in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in government, Brosnan earned his Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law in 1984, where he was elected President of the Student Bar.
Prior to his long career at MLB, in 1987 New York Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Brosnan to the NYS Commission on Government Integrity, where he started as Staff Counsel and in 1989 rose to become Counsel to the Chairman. He has served on a number of boards focused on educational opportunity and youth development. He has served on the Board of Regents at Georgetown University, where he chaired the Athletic Committee, and was a Board Member of the Fordham Law School Alumni Association. He also served on the Board of the Baseball Tomorrow Fund and was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to serve as a member of the Sports Development Corporation for New York City. He is a former member of the NYC Bar Association Sports Law Committee, the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, the Partnership for Drug Free Kids, and the Board of Trustees of Fordham Preparatory School. Brosnan is a founder and Board Member Emeritus of both the George Jackson Academy and De La Salle Academy, each a private non-profit school for underprivileged, gifted children in New York City. He is one of two Outside Directors of the Fordham Prep Trust Endowment, and Board Advisor for the Feerick Center for Social Justice at Fordham Law School.
He and his wife Claire O'Brien have three children and two daughters-in-law, and reside in Westchester County, N.Y.
The search was led by Elevate's Liz Moulton and Kyle Bowlsby.
