Kliavkoff previously held positions at Major League Baseball, NBCUniversal, Hulu, A&E Networks and — most recently prior to his Pac-12 appointment — MGM Resorts International.
"[2] Kliavkoff attended Boston University, graduating in 1989 where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, Mu Psi chapter, and participated in rowing.
[8] University of Oregon president Michael H. Schill led the five-person search committee and described Kliavkoff as "the new prototype for a sports commissioner.
[12] Kliavkoff led an effort to form an alliance between the Pac-12, the Big Ten and the ACC, with the goal of creating non-conference scheduling opportunities and stabilizing membership.
[15] With the conference reduced to nine teams, Kliavkoff was forced to present the best current media-rights offer on the table to the league's remaining members in hopes of fending off further departures.
[17] The Pac-12 reportedly was close to sticking together and signing a grant-of-rights contract on the morning of August 4, 2023,[18] with "momentum slowed" between Oregon, Washington, and the Big Ten.