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Conveying Strength From The Conference Office With The MVC’s Jeff Jackson

Guest Jeff Jackson, Missouri Valley Conference
20:16 min watch

Summary

Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Jeff Jackson joins ADU’s Steph Garcia Cichosz at the 2024 Women Leaders Convention to discuss the strength of the league in the face of realignment and the value of being a basketball-centric conference. Jackson reflects on the forthcoming departure of Missouri State for Conference USA and the importance of fostering healthy communication among league CEOs and administrators. Jackson and Garcia Cichosz also discuss momentum for women’s sports after the MVC announced a new title sponsor for the women’s basketball tournament and the concept of coach-turned-general manager in the NIL era. Jackson: “We’re all kind of keeping our heads on a swivel because we don’t know what’s going to happen next… for a lot of people, we’re an aspirational conference. We’re fortunate to have the type of stability we have but we don’t take it for granted.”

The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing (click the time stamp to jump to a specific question/topic).

  • - The MVC is the fourth oldest conference in the country; talk to me about the strength of the brand.
  • - You've worked all over the country in many different types of institutions - how did you determine that the broad institutional profile of the MVC was the right fit for you to lead?
  • - What can the conference do to continue to support the growing momentum for women's sports?
  • - You recently had a member institution switch to a new conference - talk to me about the logistical impact that has and the emotional impact of losing a school that had been a member since 1990?
  • - What are your strategies for communicating to CEOs and ADs?
  • - How are you communicating with student-athletes? How are you staying connected to them in general?
  • - You had a 30-year coaching career. If you were a head coach today, how would you approach issues like the transfer portal, roster management, NIL?
  • - How do you compartmentalize the emotional aspect of working in sports with the logistical day-to-day tasks and duties?
  • - We talked earlier about your time at Vanderbilt and the number of people working there during your tenure who have gone on to leadership roles in our industry. Talk to me about growing up in this industry and the concept of "a rising tide lifts all boats."
  • - How do you assess talent? Is there a gut instinct when you meet a rising star?
  • - UCLA AD Martin Jarmond recently said about the industry: "You have to modernize. You can't romanticize." Is there room to romanticize college athletics?
  • - The industry looks differently than when you first decided to be a coach and then an administrator. What keeps you motivated to remain part of it today?

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