Commissioner Val Ackerman
Val Ackerman To Deliver Keynote Address At Penn Sports Law Symposium
NEW YORK – BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman will serve as the keynote speaker for the Fourth Annual Penn Sports Law Symposium on Friday, January 27 on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa.
The theme of the symposium is “From Exercise to Enterprise; The Growth of Sport into a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry.” The annual symposium establishes a forum in which students, academics, and professionals interact to discuss and explore the unique changes, challenges, and opportunities that the sports industry faces as it emerges as a multi-billion dollar industry. This year brings the Fourth Annual Penn Law Sports Law Symposium, which will examine what the money-making side of sports means for the industry, for fans, and for lawyers, and the legal frameworks necessary as new money-making opportunities emerge.
Ackerman was named the fifth Commissioner of The BIG EAST Conference on June 26, 2013. She was the founding President of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and a Past President of USA Basketball, which oversees the U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic basketball program. She is one of the few sports executives who has held leadership positions in both men’s and women’s sports at the collegiate, professional, national team and international levels.
About the BIG EAST
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of ten nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments. The athletic programs of BIG EAST institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,600 student-athletes on over 180 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports. Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in seven of the country’s top 35 largest media markets and include Butler University, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University. For more information, visit www.bigeast.com.