By: Nick Kremer⏐Editor⏐Twitter: @NickKremerIT⏐Profile: @NickKremer
It's the end of an era as Jack Swarbrick wraps up his impressive career as the Athletic Director of Notre Dame in 2024. Swarbrick's done some incredible things for Notre Dame athletics. Under his watch, Swarbrick completed the stadium upgrade, the deal with the ACC while keeping independence in football, helping expand to a 12 team playoff, and many other great accomplishments for the university. Enter Pete Bevacqua, the man chosen to fill Swarbrick's shoes, and boy, does he bring a lot to the table.
Photo Credit - Notre Dame Athletics
Bevacqua's ties to Notre Dame go way back, as he played as the reserve punter under the legendary Lou Holtz from 1989 to 1993. After graduating with an English degree, he went on to study law at Georgetown University.
Bevacqua's career took him on an impressive path in the sports industry. He spent over a decade working for the U.S. Golf Association, gaining valuable experience and understanding of managing a major sporting organization. Then, in 2012, he became the CEO of the PGA of America, where he made a significant impact by bringing fresh ideas and getting fans and players more engaged in the sport. Bevacqua was the one who pushed to move the PGA Championship to May and also restructured the US Ryder Cup team.
In 2018, Bevacqua moved into the role of NBC Sports President, leaving his mark on the sports media landscape. His expertise in negotiations, marketing, and overall business savvy made him a standout in the industry. Bevacqua played a pivotal role in bringing the US Army All American game to NBC, providing a platform for showcasing talented high school football players to a wide audience.
His involvement in securing the Olympics broadcasting rights for NBC demonstrates his influence and negotiation skills on a global scale. Bevacqua's efforts helped bring the world's most prestigious sporting event to millions of viewers, solidifying NBC's position as a premier sports broadcaster. Also, he played a key role in negotiating an extension with the NFL for Sunday Night Football, ensuring that one of the league's prime-time programs remains on NBC.
Additionally, Bevacqua was involved in securing the complete US media rights for all US Golf Association championships, including the prestigious US Open. This move solidified NBC's position as a leading broadcaster in the golfing world.
As the co-chairman of RISE (the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality), Bevacqua has shown his commitment to promoting racial equality and social justice within the sports community. Through RISE, he has played an active role in providing inclusive environments and having important conversations about diversity and equality.
Photo Credit - NBC Sports Group
Now, as Notre Dame's future Athletic Director, Bevacqua will start at the university on July 1, 2023. This will give Bevacqua a chance to learn from Jack Swarbrick for six months before he fully takes over the role. During this time, Bevacqua will get to work with Swarbrick in getting the Gug renovations up and running, signing a new apparel deal, and negotiations for the future TV rights for the Irish.
In a statement put out by the University of Notre Dame, Bevacqua talked about his future position as Athletic Director.
“This is an unbelievable honor for me and a dream come true. With the exception of my family, nothing means more to me than the University of Notre Dame,” Bevacqua said. “As a Notre Dame alum, I have a keen understanding and deep appreciation of the lifetime, transformational benefit our student-athletes receive in a Notre Dame education, one that is unique and unlike any other institution in the world. I am so grateful to Father Jenkins, the Board of Trustees and, of course, Jack Swarbrick. Jack has become a true friend over the course of the past several years and I am looking forward to working alongside him and learning as much as I can from the person I admire and respect the most in college athletics.”
One worry among Irish fans has been the future of Notre Dame football and whether the team will remain independent. But Bevacqua has already put those concerns to rest. He's made it clear that he fully supports Notre Dame's independence, recognizing the importance of independence to the program's identity.
As Pete Bevacqua prepares to take charge at Notre Dame, Irish fans can be excited about what's to come. With his diverse background and experience, he's prepared to build upon the foundation laid by Swarbrick. The future of Notre Dame athletics is in good hands, Irish Nation.
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