PAC-10 HIRES HEAD OF WOMEN’S TENNIS TOUR AS COMMISH

After many names circulated for the job to replace Tom Hansen as the Pac-10 commissioner (including Padres CEO Sandy Alderson), the conference has gone outside the box and hired Women’s Tennis Association head Larry Scott to be the next conference commissioner. Scott will leave his post atop the women’s pro tour to begin working for the Pac-10 on July 1."They were looking for a different kind of leader from, let’s say, other conferences typical in this position,” Scott told the New York Times. “They see this as a turning point for the Pac-10 and are looking for a new approach to promoting and branding the conferences as well as television and sponsorships."From the looks of it, Scott’s ability to secure big time sponsors and expertise in getting television exposure was a key to the hire. “I’ve picked up on the sense that some people feel that the Pac-10 may not be boxing at their appropriate weight, so to speak. One of the skill sets that I bring is dealing with television for 15 years and dealing with all the major networks over that time."Scott was an All-American tennis player at Harvard before spending three years as a professional. He worked for 10 years on the men’s tour before taking over at the W.T.A. in 2003.You’ve got to applaud the Pac-10 for their ability to identify the glaring weakness in their television deals, and find someone who has a track record of fixing it. And with Scott’s expertise, and such a strong geographical pull and proximity to Los Angeles, it’s only a matter of time before the Pac-10 Network is launched.Now whether or not it ever gets seen by the rest of America is the real question.