Val Ackerman Assessment - How'd She Do as Commish in Year One?

[ge1974]

I am not impressed. I have not seen her on the airways and have seen very few print interviews. What the hell has she been doing? She should have been out in the media a ton as a new commish in a new league.

Her officals suck too (maybe that's one reaosn why Buzz left - seriously). Yes, we have a great TV contract but what about "the next contract"?

Call me "not impressed" so far. Anyone else?

[MU/Panther]

I agree I would like to see her more in the media. That being said, it doesn't mean she isn't doing a good job.

[Nukem2]

I suspect her first year has been more of a hiring and building process to create the nuts and bolts of the administration of a new entity. She does need to be in the forefront in the coming year.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Given what we read about how the league started and how she started with absolutely nothing I really can't blame her... If things don't change in the coming years then yes it will be an issue.

[CaribouJim]

Not to be pushing the panic button, I think she needs to circle the wagons with all the b-ball coaches and AD's either in NYC or out in the middle of nowhere. Buzz has now left the impression that the new Big East is not viable enough for him to stick around or at least was a contributing factor in him throwing in the towel at MU.

For those who watched the Big East documentary earlier this week, during the early stages of the Big East, the coaches and AD's often got together behind closed doors to iron things out and "air their grievances". The end result was that they all got on the same page and went forward with a "all for one, one for all" attitude. The coaches have to speak out on behalf of the conference its strengths etc....invent some fun events like having a throwback unis weekend where all 10 teams go old school with MU wearing the horizontal stripes unis...have another weekend where all the teams wear a more "out there" version of unis...work with FOX to play up the teams' collective history with little 30-60 second vignettes during a timeout of a certain legendary player or team...play up the urban-ness of the schools and reflect that in the Fox opening - b-ball is an urban game to a great extent...update each schools promo things and have multiple versions - MU's is horrible...go out and play as many of the stronger, high profile teams during OOC play and even give up a buy game to get some exposure, i.e., have MU go out to L.A. to play UCLA for example and try to have these games during conference play and on CBS or ABC. Really need to push all league schools to schedule ultra-aggressively for OOC. Need as much as exposure until hopefully Fox secures the rights to the Big 10...and there is always the "DePaul problem" they can try and address.

Lot of things you can do, but like a start up, it is all hands on deck!!!!