Earlier this year, NCAA President Mark Emmert announced that he would be stepping down from his position in the summer of 2023. The decision gave the organization plenty of time to find his replacement before his departure, and after a months-long search, it appears they’ve done just that, tapping current Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker as the new NCAA President.
The Athletic reported that Charlie Baker will assume the role of NCAA President on March 1, 2023. Though Baker is the current governor of the state of Massachusetts, his second term as governor ends on Jan. 5, 2023 and he did not run for re-election this year.
“Although his hire is unconventional — he was not a sitting university president or college athletic administrator — it also highlights the importance of political expertise for an entity that has sought assistance from federal lawmakers, particularly around issues regarding name, image and likeness,” Nicole Auerbach wrote in The Athletic.
The move comes after current NCAA President Mark Emmert announced he would be resigning from his position as part of a “mutual agreement.” Emmert has been the NCAA president for the past 12 years during a time when college athletics have undergone massive transformations – though he and his administration largely opposed those changes.
While Baker will assume the role of NCAA president in a few months, Emmert will remain with the NCAA, serving in an advisory role until his eventual departure in June 2023.
