The NCAA picked Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker as its next president on Thursday.
Baker, 66, will take over for current president Mark Emmert on March 1, 2023, after his second term as governor comes to an end on Jan. 5, 2023. Baker will be tasked with using his political expertise
Emmert’s impending departure was announced in April after spending 12 years at the helm of the NCAA during a period of radical change for the organization. The 69-year-old will continue to serve in an advisory role until June of 2023. Among his lasting legacies are the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling against the NCAA in the Alston case, which officially opened the door to compensating student-athletes.
Baker’s hiring is unconventional because he doesn’t have experience as a university president or in college athletics administration. Massachusetts isn’t exactly known for high-level Division I athletics, either. But Baker brings unique qualifications as a former college basketball player at Harvard who has grown to become the most popular governor in the country. The NCAA is betting on his political expertise to guide the organization through an uncertain future.
Notably, Baker has a 74% approval rating as a Republican in a predominantly Democratic state. His ability to reach across party lines could prove valuable as the NCAA seeks legislative assistance from Congress on name, image, and likeness (NIL), among other issues. The NCAA has been hesitant to regulate NIL due to antitrust pressure from both Congress and the courts. Federal legislation could help the NCAA navigate this tricky territory and clear up inconsistencies among individual state laws.
“Governor Baker has shown a remarkable ability to bridge divides and build bipartisan consensus, taking on complex challenges in innovative and effective ways,” Baylor president Linda Livingstone, the chair of the NCAA’s Board of Governors, said in a statement. “As a former student-athlete himself, husband to and father of two former student-athletes, Governor Baker is passionate about ensuring that student-athletes receive the support they need to study and compete in a fair, inclusive, and fulfilling environment. These skills and perspective will be invaluable as we work with policymakers to build a sustainable model for the future of college athletics.”
Livingstone led the presidential search committee along with six others, including former Duke basketball player Grant Hill, now co-owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Those involved in the search process told The Athletic that Baker has a history of “successfully forging bipartisan solutions to complex problems,” which led them to believe he was “uniquely suited to the NCAA’s present needs.”
Baker’s wife, Lauren, was also a college athlete at Northwestern, where she was a gymnast. There’s an endowed swimming scholarship at Northwestern named in honor of Lauren’s parents, John and Barbara Schadt. John swam at Northwestern. Two of Baker’s children played sports in college, too.
Baker said he wants to modernize college sports while preserving their essential value.
“The NCAA is confronting complex and significant challenges, but I am excited to get to work as the awesome opportunity college athletics provides to so many students is more than worth the challenge,” Baker said a statement. “And for the fans that faithfully fill stadiums, stands and gyms from coast to coast, I am eager to ensure the competitions we all love to follow are there for generations to come. Over the coming months, I will begin working with student-athletes and NCAA members as we modernize college sports to suit today’s world, while preserving its essential value.”
Best move by the NCAA in a long time. Smart choice.
How does he feel about NIL rights and other avenues for athletes to make money?
Anyone know of any swimming related history? I will say, he and his wife being former student athletes “should” be a good thing. Time will tell
None for Charlie. There’s a Charlie Baker who swims at Colorado College, but no obvious relation. Google mostly turns up stories about him increasing fines for swimming outside of designated areas at state parks and beaches.
Laura Baker’s mom and dad taught swimming at a country club during college together (how they met). Her dad swam at Northwestern and they have an endowed swimming scholarship named after them. Both of Laura’s parents asked for donations to that scholarship in lieu of flowers when they died.