The NCAA Board of Governors on Tuesday quietly extended president Mark Emmert’s contract through the end of 2025.
In a statement on the association’s website that covered an array of topics — NIL, campus sexual violence policy etc. — the announcement of Emmert’s contract extension was noted under the subhead “Other."
“Additionally, the board voted unanimously to extend NCAA President Mark Emmert’s contract to Dec. 31, 2025,” the statement read.
Emmert has served as NCAA president since November 2010, and has been under contract through October 2023 with an option through 2024.
Emmert saw intense criticism over disparities in how men’s and women’s basketball teams were treated at the NCAA tournament. The men were provided with an full-scale weight room at the tournament, while the women were given one stand of free weights and a yoga mat.
In a letter to staff that was reported by ESPN, Emmert acknowledged that "a number of balls were dropped" at the NCAA women's basketball tournament in San Antonio and that a full review would be conducted.
Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic notes that as news of Emmert’s extension came in, commissioners and athletic directors were “livid." Auerbach noted that the law firm that the NCAA has hired to do a gender equity analysis of its championships isn’t even done with that review, "yet the president who oversees the entire organization just received not only a vote of confidence from his bosses but multiple millions of them."
Prior to taking the position at the NCAA, Emmert served as president at the University of Washington from 2004 to 2010.
