LOS ANGELES — So you have no idea who George Kliavkoff is. You’re not alone.
The new Pac-12 commissioner, who was appointed Thursday, has almost no experience in college sports, but sports fans, especially in the Pac-12, are familiar with his business.
Among his wide-reaching responsibilities as MGM Resorts president of entertainment and sports, Kliavkoff oversaw operations for venues such as T-Mobile Arena and Mandalay Bay Events Center, which hosted the Pac-12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, respectively, this year. He sat on the board of BetMGM, one of the three largest U.S. sports betting companies.
Until MGM sold the Las Vegas Aces in 2021, Kliavkoff also served on the WNBA board of governors.
The 54-year-old executive joined MGM in 2018 after serving as CEO of Jaunt Inc., a virtual reality start-up. His other roles included co-president at Hearst Entertainment & Syndication, chief digital officer at NBC Universal and executive vice president of business for Major League Baseball Advanced Media.
Kliavkoff will be tasked with rebuilding Pac-12 credibility and directing its next TV deal after former commissioner Larry Scott — who, like Kliavkoff, didn’t have college sports experience before coming to the conference — stepped down this year. Kliavkoff’s appointment was supported by a unanimous vote of all Pac-12 presidents and chancellors. His five-year contract begins July 1.
