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Jim Phillips Favored to be Next Big Ten Commissioner After Jim Delaney Steps Down

Ryan Bolta

by Ryan Bolta in College Football

Updated Mar 26, 2020 · 6:20 AM PDT

Image of all 14 logos from the Big Ten schools.
Will the next Big Ten commissioner finally recognize that the conference has 14 teams?
  • Jim Delaney is stepping down as Big Ten Commissioner
  • Northwestern Athletic Director Jim Phillips is listed as the favorite to replace Delaney
  • Northwestern President Morton Schapiro is leading the search committee

When it comes to finding future bets worth your action, the question isn’t what but how – as in how much can I win?  

Betting on the weather is a smart play if you can find the right value.  That’s where this bet falls, it’s non-traditional for sure, but there’s definitely value on the board.

Odds on the Next Big Ten Commissioner

Next Big Ten Commissioner Odds
Jim Phillips +250
Brad Traviolia +400
Julie Suderman +400
Mark Rudner +500
Andrea Williams +500
Gene Smith +600
Beth Debache +600
Mark Murphy +700
Josh Whitman +700
Mark Silverman +1000
Diane Dietz +1000
Doug Elgin +1500

Jim Delaney is stepping down as Big Ten commissioner and you can bet on his replacement.  Since it’s my job to find nuggets and share them with you, no matter how obscure the topic, here’s a short run down of the two candidates on the board you need to get money on.

Jim Phillips Likely To Be Next Big Ten Commissioner

Follow the breadcrumbs and it’s easy to see why Jim Phillips has been listed as the favorite. He’s been the Athletic Director at Northwestern for over ten years and he has done an incredible job at the school.  He oversaw a major facility upgrade and kept top coaches at the school in Pat Fitzgerald (football) and Kelly Amonte Hiller (women’s lacrosse).

His list of accomplishments includes being at the helm for the Wildcats’ first March Madness berth ever in 2017, as well.

But it’s not so much his resume as it is his connections that piques my interest.

The next commissioner will be selected by a committee being run by Northwestern President Morton Schapiro.  His other job title is Chairman of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors.

Schapiro holds major clout and is good friends and the current boss of Phillips.  How good would it look if he could say, “my guy is the best man for the job”?

Could Gene Smith Leave Ohio State For The Job?

While Phillips appears to be the clear front runner, Gene Smith is a name that will make waves during the process as well.  He’s the current Vice President & Athletic Director at Ohio State and just recently stepped away from his position on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.

There are a lot of names on the list, many with similar odds, but Smith deserves to be right up behind Phillips as a strong contender.

He stepped away from his position on the CFP Selection Committee to help with a smooth transition from Urban Meyer to new Buckeyes football coach Ryan Day.  With Delaney not officially leaving his role until 2020, that would give Smith enough time to help Ohio State’s football program into its next era before accepting the new job if it were offered to him.

If you aren’t willing to pay the price for Phillips at +250, Smith is definitely your best option lower on the board.

For my pick, I’m sticking with the favorite.  There are too many things pointing in the direction of Phillips to believe that one of the other candidates will take the job from him, and +250 is still full of value for what currently sits as the likely outcome.

PICK: JIM PHILLIPS (+250)

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