Kyle Kallander, Commissioner, Big South Conference
Kyle B. Kallander is in his 13th year as Big South Conference Commissioner in 2008-09, a tenure that has seen year-to-year growth in marketing and television, an enhanced Internet presence as well as unparalleled success on the field and in the classroom. Kallander’s development of a long-term strategic plan, which allows the Big South to position itself as unique amongst its peers, has brought football to the Big South as the 18th Conference sport, solidified membership with the recent additions of High Point, VMI, Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian, increased the League’s television exposure for several sports through strong partnerships with regional and national outlets, and spearheaded video streaming of Big South games and events on the League’s web site, which began in 2005-06 and now features more than 500 annually.
Kallander has presided over some of the most pivotal events in the League’s entire history both athletically and academically. During his tenure, the Big South has reached the NCAA “Sweet 16” in men’s soccer, women’s basketball and baseball; had had two individual National Champions; had its first All-Americans in men’s and women’s cross country; has had an individual reach the round of 32 in the NCAA Men’s Singles Championship (Radford’s Martin Sayer), has started football and reached the FCS playoffs in five years; had its first-ever national finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year (Winthrop’s Janiva Willis); had members defeat the No. 1 football and baseball team in the nation (Coastal Carolina football vs. James Madison and Winthrop baseball vs. North Carolina); had its first-ever NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round win (Winthrop); had its first-ever berth in the NCAA Baseball Super Regionals (Coastal Carolina); has placed two teams in the NCAA Baseball Regionals five times; has had a baseball team earn a No. 1 seed and host an NCAA Regional; had its highest-ever team finish in an NCAA event (Coastal Carolina men’s golf, fifth in 2007); has had women’s basketball, men’s soccer, softball and baseball televised for the first time; has had a softball team reach the Regional Championship game (Winthrop); has participated and been successful in the ESPN BracketBusters men’s basketball event, and has utilized live video streaming of Conference events to elevate the League’s exposure to new audiences.
The Conference has produced more All-Americans since Kallander took office, while increasing its share of Academic All-Americans and All-District selections. More than 40 percent of the League’s student-athletes have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average the last six years, while several student-athletes have been recipients of Postgraduate Scholarships during his timeframe. Kallander has also successfully integrated the Conference’s profile with the member institutions’ general student body, notably through the development of the Big South Academic Consortium, which sponsors the annual Academic College Bowl among League members and the Big South Undergraduate Research Symposium. Furthermore, the Big South began offering one male and one female graduating student-athlete a Graduate Fellowship for postgraduate studies in 2006.
Named the Big South’s third commissioner in August, 1996, Kallander formed the Big South Marketing Group (BSMG) upon his arrival, a partnership with member institutions that enables the Conference to develop an integrated marketing strategy and offer comprehensive corporate partnership packages. More recently, the Big South Business Group (BSBG) was created, involving the Chief Financial Officers from each member institution. The BSBG explores ways that members can benefit through working together and with Conference corporate partners. Kallander has overseen a revision of the League’s governance structure and has been instrumental in securing record sponsorship revenues in the past decade, and has been innovative in developing and executing a public relations plan for the Big South, which has resulted in increased exposure, both on a regional and national level. Nationally, Kallander has been heavily involved in several organizations and committees. He served on the NCAA/USOC Task Force, examining the decline of Olympic sports programs at the nation’s college and universities, chaired the NCAA Olympic Sports Liaison Committee, and served on the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics.
As a testament to his leadership, Kallander continues to secure aggressive television packages through relationships with Comcast SportsNet (CSN), Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS), CBS College Sports, ESPN/ESPNU, FSN South, Fox College Sports (FCS), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), SportSouth and a new arrangement with The America Channel. Furthermore, the Big South Television Network (BSTN) was created by Kallander in 2001 to serve as a syndicate of Conference events to a regional group of TV stations and cable networks. The partnerships have brought the Big South new and enhanced television exposure for its member institutions and student-athletes.
Kallander came to the Big South after serving as Southwest Conference Commissioner during the 1995-96 season. Under his guidance, the Southwest generated more than $22 million in revenue, an all-time record. Kallander was also directly responsible for negotiating and implementing television agreements with CBS, Raycom and Prime Sports Southwest for the 1995-96 football and basketball seasons. He successfully administered the league’s postseason basketball tournaments, which attracted its largest attendance since 1990, and also served as Tournament Director for the 1996 NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Region First and Second Round Games in Dallas.
Kallander began his collegiate athletics career at his alma mater, the University of Washington, in 1985, where he spent seven years in the athletic department, serving as director of Advertising & Promotions, as well as the Director of Compliance. He joined the Southwest Conference in 1992 as Assistant Commissioner.
Kallander received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education in 1980, and a Master of Science Degree in Kinesiology in 1982, from Washington. He is married to the former Lisa Dallosto and has two children, Stefan, 18, and Tristan, 15.
THE KALLANDER FILE
Hometown: Mercer Island, Wash.
Education: B.A. in Physical Education, University of Washington, 1980
M.S. in Kinesiology, University of Washington, 1982
Previous Commissioner, Southwest Conference
Employment: 1995-96
Date of Hire: August, 1996
Big South Conference Milestones:
• Formation of Big South Marketing Group and the Big South Business Group, resulting in record revenue for the Conference.
• Addition of several new members: High Point University Virginia Military Institute, Presbyterian College and Gardner-Webb University, plus football-only member Stony Brook.
• Aggressive television packages, which include coverage by ESPN, ESPNU, FSN South, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), Comcast SportsNet, CBS College Sports, SportSouth and The American Channel, which have grown from year-to-year and now include football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and softball.
• Progressive approach to Internet presence, including the addition of live video streaming of Big South games and events, which totals more than 500 annually.
• Formation of the Big South Television Network (BSTN), a regionalized network of television stations and cable systems.
• Initiation on Strategic Planning process, allowing the League to position itself for future successes.
• Addition of three new Championship sports: men’s and women’s indoor track & field in 1997 and football in 2002.
• Creation and induction of the League’s first Hall of Fame class in 2003.
• Enhancement of League championships.
• Creation of Big South Academic Consortium of Big South Chief Academic Officers and Faculty Athletics Representatives to develop shared academic programs and resources among member institutions.
• Creation of Big South Sportsmanship program and Graduate Fellowship program.
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