The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference has named Travis Tellitocci its new commissioner. Tellitocci replaces the retiring Rich Ensor, who set a national record by spending 35 years in the role. Tellitocci, the conference’s fourth commissioner, has served as assistant commissioner for football, basketball and officiating for the Ohio Valley Conference for the past six years. He is a 2004 graduate of conference member Marist, where he later served as deputy athletics director. MAAC’s member colleges also include Siena, Iona, Fairfield and more.
So what attracted you to this position?
There were several factors that attracted me. First, just having spent a number of years at Marist, and within the league, you know, obviously, it was Lee, I was familiar with, knew a lot of the people that are still in those leadership roles, which is good, and obviously have a great deal of respect for them. The fact that the MAAC has a great rich tradition and history. The geography is really good as well. You've got a lot of schools that are within that metro area. So, a really good footprint. And then, all share similar values all are private schools, small, a lot with Catholic tradition. So, a lot of different things that were appealing for this job, and really just time for me to jump at an opportunity for leadership position. I spent a lot of time supporting others in roles throughout my career. So, I thought this was a just a great opportunity to finally lead.
You have been on the other side, as I mentioned, in college athletics administration from one of the member colleges in the conference. How do you think that experience will influence the way you look at things as a League Commissioner?
During my time on campus, I had the opportunity to oversee both the internal and the external operations of the athletic department. So, when I first started on campus, I was heavily involved in the marketing side, alumni relations, fundraising, corporate partnerships, and really focusing on marketing all of our sports, and that was a great experience. I had the opportunity to switch over to the internal side of things, overseeing the budgets, the finances, and still having my hand in the marketing and media relations aspect. So, I think I've gained a good understanding of how both of those areas function, which has helped me even down the road as I went and transitioned into the conference office life, just having that experience on campus and being able to relate to some of the challenges and working with individuals in those roles was very helpful. I always said, after taking the conference job, everybody that works in the conference should have to work on campus, and then everybody that works on campus should have to work in a conference office for a year. Just so there's a better understanding of how each operates. So, I'm thankful for both of those opportunities.
What do you think your experience with the Ohio Valley Conference, which has some similarities with the MAAC. How does that inform your plan for the MAAC?
So, the experience here at the OVC has been great, just from a conference office standpoint. Working every day with our athletic directors. Working closely with our presidents as well to obviously move the league forward. A lot of emphasis on basketball here in the OVC as well. A little different. We have football, we compete at the FCS level in football. So, that's a little different animal that I've dealt with over my six years here, but it's been a great experience at the OVC. I would say that, as we know, there's challenges right now in college athletics, trying to work through, those different things between NCAA transformation, the transfer portal, and it just being immersed in those details over my tenure here has been really helpful as I transition into this role just to be ready to deal with those challenges head on. We've been in a lot of meetings and looking at a lot of different options as we prepare for the future. So, as I step into this role at the MAAC, I think I'm pretty well versed in what some of those challenges look like and really ready to hit the ground running.
Have you spoken a lot with Rich Ensor? I have to imagine he has things pretty much the way he would want them at this point, after all of the years he spent in the role. That can be daunting to take over from somebody who has left such a mark.
Yeah, no, I have a great relationship with Rich and as I said in my press conference, Rich was really the reason that I have this job right now in the OVC. He had reached out to me when I was at Marist, and said, “Hey, I think there's a great opportunity for you” and sent me the email, “This is something that you really should look at, at the Ohio Valley Conference.” So, I pursued that opportunity, and ended up getting the position and it is funny how things have become full circle now. But, you know, Rich has done a tremendous job over the last 35 years in the MAAC, he's really laid the foundation for where things are today. He was innovative and his approach to ESPN and that relationship, that Disney relationship with which he's established there, and then really thinking outside the box in terms of the MTE’s that the MAAC has had the opportunity to participate. So, he’s done a tremendous job laying a great foundation for so many years. As we work on the transition, the same goal that we both share is that we want it to be smooth, and work together so that our member institutions that there is synergy there between the institutions and the staff. So, I look forward to working with him learning from him. I'll probably look at some things differently and I think that's okay. And he'll probably have some different opinions, and that's okay. But at the end of the day, we both want to do what's best for the member institutions, and to ultimately move the MAAC forward.
And I just want to say, for our listeners who might not be college sports fanatics, MTE is a multi-team event that you mentioned a moment ago. It's obviously a changing time in college athletics. What's your view of issues like name image and likeness and player retention that have sort of roiled things a bit, especially at institutions like the ones in the MAAC?
I think there's pros and cons to everything that's out there now, and positives and negatives and opportunities. The first one that I look at is name image and likeness. I think everybody will tell you that it was long overdue for student athletes to be able to benefit off of their name, image and likeness. I think what happened is we've got so far down the road of not addressing it for a number of years that when it was addressed, there probably needed to be some more guardrails on there and obviously, states get involved and you have different laws throughout the country in terms of the approach to name image likeness. I don't think it's something that you can hide from, I think it's here to stay. I think there's a difference at the levels. The Power Five name, image and likeness probably looks a little different than it does in the MAAC. But nonetheless, I think it's something that you have to embrace, and ultimately makes sure you're doing things the right way, I know a couple of schools in the Mac have already started looking and exploring collectives and even announcing them. So again, I think, as the incoming Commissioner, I want to make sure that we're positioning ourselves the best that we can so that all of the schools are on the same page, and that we are taking advantage of opportunities that are out there and again, that student athletes do benefit from that opportunity. The other thing I think that plays a role in change right now is the transfer portal, again, something that has pros and cons to it as well, student athletes having the ability to make a decision on whether they think the current opportunity is good or bad for them, I think it's a good thing. But looking at some of those guardrails that need to be in place as well, which have already been addressed and I think you're seeing a little tweaking of that model as well. So, you mentioned it a lot of challenges to navigate through, I think there's still a lot of work to be done and determining how some of this ultimately look at the end of the day. But I think there are opportunities there that present themselves.
For instance?
For instance, I look at name image and likeness from a conference office level. I don't think anybody has done that yet. It's a little bit of a gray area within the rules. As I mentioned, you've got state laws that dictate some of what you can do and what not, but is there opportunity to look at it from a championship level? Is there a corporate sponsor that you can partner with and make something available to student athletes who win or participate in the conference championship that they can opt in or out of and exploring some of those opportunities that are at a conference level? Again, I think there's a little bit of gray area there that needs to be worked through, but that's something that I look at is a potential opportunity.
What about the question of realignment? Every conference deals with this and it seems to be a whack a mole to a certain degree. Are you looking at or thinking about potential new members of the MAAC? How is that working?
Well, it's no secret that the OVC has gone through a great deal of conference alignment recently as the Big 12 change and the Big 10 change. There was obviously a domino effect. I know almost every conference in the country has been impacted by conference realignment. I think that's something that is also going to be the new normal. I look for some of the Power Five, that there's still be shifting at that level, which again, as I mentioned, will have a domino effect down the line. So, I think as you approach it, what I've experienced here is you can't play from behind. I think you have to be ready. To me, it's just like a coaching search. You have to have your candidates ready to go and have done your research and when shift or changed happens, you've got to be prepared to address it pretty quickly and head on. I think from the MAAC perspective, I know that the presidents and athletic directors and Rich have looked at potential opportunities there. I'm sure those discussions are ongoing. I haven't really been privy to too much at this point. But I think you've got to be ready for not if, but when and having those decisions and those candidates and potential schools ready to go for when it does happen again.
OK, let's do a lightning round. Now. What's your favorite college sport to watch?
Oh, favorite college sport to watch is probably basketball.
How come?
Just nonstop action throughout the entire event. I think basketball, particularly with the postseason structure is something that I think has really captivated the nation. On that topic too, we talked about expansion, and I'm not sure that's the best thing right now as we're looking at an event that really has done a great job of captivating fans throughout the country. I know there's a lot of talk of changing that. I think it's pretty good the way it is right now.
Do you see yourself in this role for 35 years?
That would put me at 75. So, I don't know if I'd be working up to that long. But no. My family, obviously appreciates the opportunity and I think it's something that could have the ability to have longevity there, the way I've approached every job in my life is not looking really at a title or a certain position. I've really tried to make it about a good fit. So, I think this is a great fit for our family. When we moved to Nashville, we didn't know a soul here. But I thought it was a good opportunity and a really good place to live and a good place for our family and I feel the same way about this opportunity at the MAAC that there's a lot of potential there and a really good opportunity for our family.
Favorite spot in Poughkeepsie?
Rossi's Deli hands down. Second would be Cosimo's, which is right across the street from the college. So, those would be my first two.
Do you still know how to do the Red Fox Rumble?
I do not. I'd have to probably have a little bit of instruction on that.
What do you think success will look like for you in this role? If we're projecting out 5-10 years? How do you see things going?
Yeah, I think that's a great question. I think success looks like a number of different things. I think first and foremost is we talk about transformation, there's a real emphasis on supporting student athletes. So, I think that's got to be at the core of what we do. I mentioned in my interview with the transfer portal, with an image and likeness and all of the issues, I think we got to get back to the core of what we do. And that's providing a good quality education to student athletes and a good opportunity for them to compete at the highest level. I think, success in this role looks at student athletes, obviously achieving what they're looking for, in their experience at a MAAC institution. I think from a basketball standpoint, the league continued to grow and be more visible and be attractive. As we talked about conference realignment, I think attractiveness has a great deal to do with that, that schools want to be a part of your league. So, I think that's another area of success of making the MAAC more visible and more attractive. I think looking at doing things differently in some regards. As I mentioned, I think Rich laid a great foundation to build off of in that regard. So, excited to look at some different opportunities. And then, revenue generation is a big part of this as well. Trying to make sure that we were pursuing opportunities in corporate sponsorship area and other revenue areas, so that the MAAC’s financially stable, which they are right now and that's a big piece of it as well.
Are you satisfied with the number of member schools that are currently in the MAAC or would you like to see that grow?
Right now, at 11 I think there's opportunities there to go to a 12th school. Right now, we're at 10, we were at 12 and I think there's some advantages to being, a little bigger, there's advantages to being a little smaller as well. There are more revenue distribution opportunities at a smaller number for schools to benefit but I think being at a higher number gives you a little more stability, a little more comfort. I think, as you look into scheduling, you've got to determine obviously, what the optimal number is there. That's going to vary by sport, however, so I don't think that can be the ultimate barometer when you're looking at a number of teams, but as I mentioned, in my press conference, I think you have to be aggressive and looking at opportunities and not really playing from behind if conference realignment happens again.
Is there anything I didn't ask you that you'd like to add?
I’m just excited for the opportunity. I’m really excited to come back to the northeast and work with the athletic directors and the presidents and all of the coaches and administrators. I’m ready to really hit the ground running and roll up my sleeves and meet and listen to people. I think the main thing is just listening to what they view the MAAC as and areas of improvement and areas of growth. I think that's something that's important to me, is to hear from the people on campus. The student athletes, the coaches, the presidents, the athletic directors are all are going to have probably different answers to those questions. So, how do you find common ground to move the conference forward, I think is the biggest challenge in these roles is. When you're on campus, the president sets the direction and everybody follows and when you're in the conference office, same thing, but you have 12, or excuse me, at this point, 11 different institutions that might have the same vision, but pull in one way or the other. So, trying to find that sweet spot to get everybody to move forward and do what's best for the conference as a whole, not just the individual institution. So, excited for that challenge and really to go to campus and listen to what administrators have to say.
