Maintaining High Expectations With MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher

Guest Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, MAC

21:43 min watch

Summary

Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Division I Council, sits down with ADU’s Steph Garcia Cichosz at the 2025 NCAA Convention to offer insight into issues related to the House settlement, eligibility concerns, conference realignment, sportsmanship and more. Steinbrecher calls for an increase in “clarity” as well as assistance from Congress to address key governance and structural issues facing the industry today, discussing the need to return to a focus on “educational outcomes” instead of short-term economic gains for athletes and athletic departments. Regarding the future of the MAC membership, Steinbrecher shares that his team has been engaged in a “strategic thinking process” to lay out possible directions for the league given a variety of scenarios in the post-House era. Steinbrecher also reflects on a period he experienced as a young administrator searching for his first job while living in his parent’s basement, advising up-and-coming professionals to lead with a combination of gumption and grit.

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

- You serve as Vice Chair for the Division I Council; what are the most pressing issues popping up in conversations with your peers right now?
- What is the most urgent issue right now for the Council?
- What advice do you have for younger leaders about staying nimble in this era?
- How is the MAC membership preparing for the ramifications of the House settlement and what are some long-tail impacts you'll feel in the conference office - issues around sports sponsorship, future conference membership and size, etc?
- In the wake of NIU leaving for football opportunities in the Mountain West, how are you being proactive for the rest of your membership?
- In your 2024 State of the Conference address last summer, you spoke about a general shift in priorities and back in December, you sent a letter to President Charlie Baker about sportsmanship issues, where you wrote “the time has come to expect more from us instead of tolerating less.” Tell me more about that and what the reaction has been to those sentiments.
- I spoke earlier with the Division I SAAC Chair about the issue of student-athlete employment - from her perspective, she was confident that the majority of student-athletes do not want to be classified as employees. Why is there so much disinformation around this topic - from the media’s perspective, it’s inevitable that athletes will gain employment status.
- What is the best role for the NCAA moving forward? What are ways that governance could be restructured to better align with the overall shift in the industry towards a professional model?
- Tell me about the power and value of establishing strong peer relationships en route to your leadership goals in this industry.
- How has your "elevator pitch" or personal tagline evolved throughout your career?
- As you were seeking an administrative position in your 20s, you and your wife moved into your parent’s basement - that’s an experience that resonates with so many young professionals these days. Talk to me about the resilience, the vulnerability and the humility that comes with that decision.

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