College athletics leaders say timing of NCAA presidential change 'perfect,' but job 'not an enviable one'

IRVING, Texas — One day after the NCAA announced president Mark Emmert will step down by 2023, several high-ranking leaders throughout college athletics on Wednesday agreed it's the right time to find a new leader, but the position is as ambiguous as the future of the organization itself.

«It's a unicorn,» Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff said. «That's a really, really difficult job. Not an enviable one, and I'm not sure anyone would want it.»

The hire comes at a turning point, as the NCAA is in the midst of restructuring its entire organization while the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) rights have already created unintended consequences.

«There's a major transformation going on right now,» said ACC commissioner Jim Phillips, who was a member of both the NCAA's constitution committee and transformation committee. «We're not sure where it's going to end up. And I think if you're going to pass the baton to a new leader, it's probably the right time. And I know that the board's indicated they have all the way until next June and I think that was a very intentional decision because they want to see the work that's being done, see where we find ourselves. Maybe there would be a little bit of overlap, and then eventually a changing of the guard.»

Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson, who is the most senior FBS commissioner and joined the others this week for the annual College Football Playoff spring meetings, agreed with Phillips.

«The timing is perfect because there's a bit of a ramp-up of more than a year potentially,» he said, «and let's define what the NCAA is going to look like, and go backwards.»

American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco said he's concerned that once