Delany New Big 10 Commissioner

James E. Delany, named Wednesday as commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, called for fresh ideas to keep sports from overpowering the academic life of student-athletes.

“At this unique time in college athletics, all is not well,” said Delany, a 41-year-old lawyer completing his 10th year as commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference.

“I think it’s important to find a better balance. There’s got to be a way to make sure education is first. And I don’t think that’s the case in all institutions today.”

Delany will take over July 1 for Wayne Duke, who is retiring after 18 years as commissioner.

Delany said the problem of boosters and sports agents corrupting student-athletes with money is worse than it was 10 years ago.

“Sometimes the values of pure capitalist competition are in conflict with educational values,” he said.

Increasingly, college athletes are coming from poor families and may be more susceptible to the lure of money from boosters and sports agents, Delany said. He suggested increasing financial aid to student-athletes, including such non-academic costs as paying for a couple of trips home and back each year.

“We have to do what we can to alleviate the pressures of these people preying on 19-year-old athletes,” said Delany, who played varsity basketball at North Carolina and was a member of two Final Four teams.