The American Athletic Conference is adding a significant name to bolster its basketball product in hopes of becoming a multi-bid league annually in the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments.
The league is slated to announce the hiring of former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese as a consultant, sources told Sports Business Journal.
An official announcement is expected on Tuesday.
A longtime and well-respected college basketball mind, Tranghese’s role is likely to center on boosting the AAC’s national profile in men’s and women’s basketball, along with guidance on scheduling, television exposure and more.
Tranghese, who guided the Big East between 1990 and 2009, previously served a similar role with the SEC, beginning in 2016. He’s largely been credited by Commissioner Greg Sankey and others for completely overhauling the league’s strategy related to basketball.
Adding Tranghese to the fold marks another significant move by AAC Commissioner Tim Pernetti in recent months — particularly on the basketball front.
Pernetti pushed for a new look to basketball unit distribution within the conference that will see schools receive the full value of NCAA tournament units they earn in a given postseason via the following year’s conference distribution, rather than divide them among the conference.
The second-year commissioner was also a significant player in the league approving a plan earlier this year that would require member institutions to put at least $10M total toward revenue sharing with athletes by 2027-28 following the the final approval of the House settlement.
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