Same Values With A New Voice

Our Interview with Commissioner Jeff Jackson

(St. Louis, MO) – When Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Doug Elgin announced his retirement, a national search began. The Presidents’ Council didn’t want to abandon nor radically alter what Elgin and his staff had built. They wanted the same values with a different voice.

Enter Jeff Jackson. A former collegiate athlete and basketball coach, Jackson comes to the Valley from a ‘power five’ conference and has been active on the national collegiate scene. As the Big Twelve’s Associate Commissioner of Men’s Basketball and the coordinator of the league’s men’s basketball tournament, he carries a deep appreciation and passion for the MVC’s signature sport.

He has Elgin’s same values with a different voice.

How Did He Get Here?

Jackson’s journey to the Valley quite easy. The Presidents’ Council hired a search firm and Jackson was on the short list. His coaching and administrative background were certainly unique. His basketball emphasis was a large factor.

Jackson’s appreciation for MVC basketball history and success made the position extremely appealing. Though is personal history with the league wasn’t deep, the Valley’s national reputation had caught his eye.

 

 

Same Values With a New Voice

Jackson says his basketball and coaching background was obviously a selling point during his candidacy. His love for and experience in basketball was a plus, but he notes his involvement will the other collegiate sports during is Big Twelve days.

 

 

The new Commissioner is impressed by and enjoys the Valley headquarters’ staff. He has spent time with several of the university presidents and is rapidly getting to know the St. Louis based members of his new team. Their well-noted accomplishments and history of success, give Jackson confidence in working with Associate Commissioners Jack Watkins, Mike Kern and other valued staff members.

He admits that filling Elgin’s gigantic shoes will be tough to fill.

 

 

Current Event Questions

While Jackson is just getting to know the Valley, college basketball is undergoing significant changes. Being a part of the NCAA’s Basketball Oversight Committee gives Jackson a unique perspective into questions about ‘instant eligibility’, the introduction of NIL legislation and potential MVC expansion.

Recently, the NCAA has made some clarifications to the instant eligibility rule changes. With well over 1,500 college basketball players in the transfer portal, we have now learned that many of them will likely not be eligible this coming season.

The ‘portal pandemic’ may have been avoided if the NCAA had made clearer definitions in a more timely way. Jackson says players that have transferred previously and are not graduate students, have already used up their ability to transfer without eligibility impunity.

 

 

While the coming decisions on ‘Name, Image and Likeness’ (NIL) are still on the way, Jackson believes that time has come. He sees the value of the NCAA and US government joining forces to address a national criteria. The chaos that would come from thirty different state guide-lines would be unmanageable.

 

 

One of ValleyHoopsInsider.com’s favorite topics is the possible expansion of the league. Commissioner Jackson didn’t brush off our question, and he is confident that there would be many university athletic programs that see the value in joining the league.

 

 

Our full interview can be found at Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts. We discuss the Valley’s current needs, his history in the Big Twelve and his family life.

Jeff Jackson carries the same values with a new voice into his first year as the Valley’s tenth Commissioner. He is still learning the league’s landscape but will hit the ground running. Retiring Commissioner Elgin told me that Jackson’s skill-set and personality will fit perfectly with the future of the Missouri Valley Conference.

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