Vikings COO Kevin Warren to be named Big Ten commissioner

[BleedGopher]

per NFL.com:

Minnesota Vikings chief operating officer Kevin Warren is expected to be named commissioner of the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday, sources told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on Monday.

Warren, 55, is expected to replace longtime Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney, who had served in that capacity since 1989. Delaney will vacate his post after the 2019-20 academic year, his 31st on the job.

The Big Ten Conference will announce the decision in a press conference Tuesday.

Minnesota's COO since February 2015, Warren was responsible for all business, financial, legal and operational aspects related to U.S. Bank Stadium and the design, development and planning of Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, per the team's website.

Warren has spent over 20 years in the NFL and 14 with the Vikings. Before his promotion to COO, Warren was Minnesota's vice president of legal affairs and chief administrative officer to chief operating officer. He was the highest-ranking African-American executive working on the business side for a team in the NFL and was the first African-American COO in NFL history.

Warren would be the first African-American commissioner of a Power Five conference.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...kevin-warren-to-be-named-big-ten-commissioner

Go Gophers!!

 

[Robb]

I've seen him speak at a corporate event. And heard him on the radio a couple times. He's a really impressive speaker. Oozes character and integrity. I'm interested to see how he steps into this role.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

Basketball tournament at Target Center?

Football championship at US Bank Stadium?

 

[Holy Man]

Basketball tournament at Target Center?

Football championship at US Bank Stadium?

If it brings in big $ for the B1G, they'll do it. They would go to Alaska for the right price. I'm not confident our area would support either event well enough to bring them here if the Gophers were not a factor. Way too many sports and entertainment choices, and too far off the beaten path to bring in enough visitors from other places.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

If it brings in big $ for the B1G, they'll do it. They would go to Alaska for the right price. I'm not confident our area would support either event well enough to bring them here if the Gophers were not a factor. Way too many sports and entertainment choices, and too far off the beaten path to bring in enough visitors from other places.

Warren knows that no metro area monetizes big events like the Twin Cities.

And I count the B1G football championship game & BTT as big events.

 

[Bigeddysprings]

I guess we will see! I'm trying to figure out why we can't seem to get a commish with B1G ties.