Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher is the eighth commissioner of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), having been elevated to the position on March 16, 2009. Steinbrecher has served as the commissioner of three Division I conferences – additionally serving six years (2003-2009) as commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and nine years (1994-2003) as the commissioner of the Mid-Continent Conference (the Summit League). He is the longest tenured FBS Commissioner, as well as the longest tenured DI commissioner across three conferences. Steinbrecher is the only person to serve as commissioner in all three NCAA Division I Subdivisions (FBS, FCS, DI).
Elevating the MAC
As commissioner of the Mid-American Conference, Steinbrecher has worked to elevate the MAC as a conference that is centered on the student-athlete, on athletics success, academic achievement and social and community engagement. This effort has been pursued with a hands-on approach in collaboration with MAC member institution student-athletes, presidents and chancellors, directors of athletics, senior woman administrators, and faculty athletics representatives.
- A former two sport student-athlete at Valparaiso University, Steinbrecher has been an ardent advocate for MAC student-athletes.
- Directed the development and implementation of the first conference-wide mental health program that included the development of minimum standards and best practices and an annual summit on mental health.
- Directed the development and implementation of the first conference-wide diversity and inclusion program, creating a Conference-wide internship program for students, a mentorship program for administrators and the creation of a committee focused on issues of access and opportunity.
- Led a collaborative effort among student-athletes, coaches, faculty and administrators to establish Conference time-demands regulations that served as the model for NCAA regulations.
- Focused on the advocacy of student-athletes by creating the Council of Student-Athletes, which provided for student-athlete participation in the governance of the Conference.
The MAC’s profile has grown under Steinbrecher’s watch. With more opportunities for fans – near and far – to participate in rooting their favorite schools on to success.
- In the summer of 2014, Steinbrecher announced a historic 13-year rights extension agreement with ESPN through the 2026-27 season and brings long-term security for the Conference. This agreement provides ESPN with exclusive television and digital distribution rights for all MAC sporting events, guarantees coverage of home football and men’s basketball games, and select women’s basketball and Olympic sporting events.
- In addition, the MAC and its member institutions, with assistance from ESPN, have established on-campus production capabilities that provide a significant increase in the national coverage of baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, wrestling and Olympic sports on ESPN+ and ESPN3. In June of 2015, the MAC announced a four-year sub-licensing agreement with CBS Sports Network to expand its national exposure in football and basketball and in July of 2019 announced a four-year extension with CBS Sports Network.
- Implemented and initiated the MAC Digital Network that led to an increase of viewership by more than 40 percent.
- Invested significantly in the conference’s social media operations, consistently among the top three conferences in active engagements.
- Launched an independent esports conference, the Esports Collegiate Conference, dedicated to facilitate and foster high-quality gaming competition among collegiate esports teams.
- In the spring of 2022, the MAC announced a statistical data partnership and sponsorship deal with Genius Sports. As part of the five-year agreement, the MAC licensed its statistical data rights to Genius Sports creating a single source to manage and market the data for the Conference. The partnership was the first of its kind in collegiate athletics and represents an increased focus around the oversight and control of sports data.
That profile has extended to the competition in stadiums and arenas across the country where the MAC has hosted elite NCAA events and its programs have increasingly participated in the football bowl season.
- Steinbrecher led the MAC bid to host the 2024 Women’s Final Four. In addition, he led the bid to host the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional and the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championship -- which the MAC set total attendance and single-session attendance records.
- During his tenure, the MAC has witnessed historic achievements in the overall growth of MAC football. Over the last nine seasons every MAC football program has appeared in a bowl game and during the last seven seasons the MAC has twice set the Conference single-season bowl record with seven programs receiving a bowl invitation in both the 2012 and 2015 bowl seasons. Twice the Mid-American Conference has qualified teams for New Year’s Six bowl games (Orange Bowl ‘13, Cotton Bowl ‘17).
- Steinbrecher has built the MAC primary bowl agreements to a conference-best six guaranteed bowl games. The MAC has bowl agreements with the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; Bahamas Bowl, Arizona Bowl and Quick Lane Bowl, and will be in a rotation with other conferences to appear in the Camellia Bowl, Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl, Frisco Bowl, Mobile Bowl and the newly created Myrtle Beach Bowl. These bowl agreements provide the MAC the opportunity to build on relationships with multiple bowl partners, expand national television exposure and broaden geographical opportunities to perform against peer FBS conferences.
Steinbrecher’s tenure as commissioner has also resulted in greater brand awareness of the MAC and its student-athletes.
- Focused on growing the Mid-American Conference brand with the “MACtion” and “Fly the Flag” campaigns.
- Introduced the MAC Graduate Patch logo worn on uniform by student-athletes who have earned their undergraduate degree and continue to participate in intercollegiate athletics.
- Created the Mid-American Conference Annual Honors Dinner and reinstated the Conference Hall of Fame.
Part of Steinbrecher’s tenure has also been focused on developing greater relationships within the communities where MAC member institutions are located as well as the cities where its alumnus call home.
- Initiated relationship with USA Football leading to the Conference hosting an annual youth football clinic for more than 400 Detroit youth in conjunction with football media day activities.
- Secured a $50,000 donation matched by another donor and a $25,000 donation matched by three other donors, for the Bahamian Red Cross to assist with multiple hurricane disaster relief efforts.
- Secured $1 million in grants from three sources to develop a new teacher development/mentorship program and teacher recognition program with Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
- Initiated youth program with Cleveland Public Schools in conjunction with MAC basketball tournament.
About the Commissioner
Steinbrecher has served on numerous NCAA committees, including taking a leadership role in many of those committees. He is currently Vice Chair of the NCAA Division I Council alongside participating on the NCAA Independent Accountability Oversight Committee and the NCAA NIL Legislative Solutions Group.
Steinbrecher is a 1983 graduate of Valparaiso University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and journalism. In 2006, he was bestowed an Alumni Achievement Award from his alma mater and in 2014 was inducted into the Valparaiso University Athletics Hall of Fame. Steinbrecher graduated with a Master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University in 1984, and he was awarded the Doctorate of physical education in sports administration from Indiana University in 1989.
An all-conference and academic all-conference selection in football and a conference champion in tennis, Steinbrecher was named Valparaiso’s and the Heartland Collegiate Conference’s Student-Athlete of the Year in 1983. In 2006, he was inducted into the Watauga County (N.C.) Sports Hall of Fame.
Steinbrecher and his wife Anne have three children, daughter Grace and twin sons Matt and Will, and two grandchildren.
Steinbrecher follows Rick Chryst, who served as MAC Commissioner (1999-2009). David Reese served as the first commissioner from 1946-64, followed by Bob James (1964-71), Fred Jacoby (1971-82), Jim Lessig (1982-90), Karl Benson (1990-94), Jerry Ippoliti (1994-99).
