Providence’s Dan Gavitt named Vice President of NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Big East associate commissioner and native son Danny Gavitt has been hired as vice president of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Dan is the son of Dave Gavitt, who is a local legend as the former athletic director at Providence College and and the founder of the Big East.
He is also the former athletic director at Bryant University in Smithfield.
"It is great for Dan, the NCAA, and college basketball," said former Big East commissioner and Dave Gavitt's successor Mike Tranghese. "He is really excited about it. The basketball committee wanted someone with strong basketball ties, and he is the right person."
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe position was recently created by NCAA executive vice president Mark Lewis.
Dan Gavitt will oversee the tournament, which brokered a new television deal with CBS and Turner Sports expanded its field from 65 teams to 68 for the 2012 season. Big changes have been rumored to be on the horizon, as discussion has taken place for a 96 or 120-team format. Those models are highly unpopular with fans.
He replaces Greg Shaheen, who was also in charge of commercial marketing of the tournament.
The Big East is still searching for a new commissioner after John Marinatto resigned from that position in May. With teams constantly changing conference affiliations, the Big East needs to hire someone to lead them into a new era. Gavitt may have been a good candidate to do so.
Instead, he will be overseeing operations for the NCAA's biggest revenue-generating event.
