Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse University will hire ESPN executive John Wildhack as the school's new athletic director, responding to Mark Coyle's abbreviated tenure by bringing in an alumnus with tight ties to the school.

Wildhack was previously working as ESPN's vice president for programming and production, and has significant experience in both areas with the company. From 2004 to 2012, he oversaw ESPN's rights negotiations, cutting deals with the SEC, ACC, NBA, Major League Baseball and numerous other organizations.

A Buffalo native, graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a member of the David Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamic advisory board, Wildhack's connections seem to guarantee he'll stick around longer than Coyle's 11 months. Wildhack also has the Central New York ties that many often felt previous former athletic director Daryl Gross lacked.

While the hiring seems to supply Syracuse with an incredibly savvy sports business mind, Wildhack does not have prior experience in athletic administration or compliance.

"John is an entrepreneurial, outside-the-box leader who brings an unparalleled set of skills and experiences to the director of athletics position," Chancellor Kent Syverud said. "As a leader at ESPN, he has demonstrated a keen ability to identify and implement strategies aimed at elevating the entire organization. That record of success, combined with his extensive history of building and inspiring teams, will allow him to immediately and positively impact the lives of our student-athletes. This is a new day in the life of the Department of Athletics. I look forward to watching John, in collaboration with our talented coaches and staff, bring his bold vision for the department to life."

While hiring a businessman instead of an experienced college sports administrator is still rare in college sports, the trend has become more common as the finances involved in college sports have exploded. Notre Dame's Jack Swarbrick and Alabama's Bill Battle have made the transition successfully, while others like Michigan's Dave Brandon have struggled.

"To say this is a dream job would be a significant understatement," Wildhack said. "Syracuse University played a profound role in my life's trajectory and I'm confident I wouldn't be where I am without the education and opportunities this institution afforded me. To help my alma mater, in particular Syracuse student-athletes, continue to excel and grow, especially in light of the enormous investments being made and that have been made in its facilities, is a tremendous responsibility and one I don't take lightly. I am honored to have been selected and I look forward to collaborating with the amazing coaches and staff as we work to develop the whole student-athlete--inside and outside the classroom."

Wildhack's brother, Henry, still lives in Syracuse and worked briefly as a senior associate director of athletics under Gross in 2006.

Wildhack began working for ESPN when it was first created in 1980, rising from a production assistant to his current role as the channel became a sports giant. According to his ESPN bio, Wildhack, produced ESPN's first live NFL game in 1987 and its first live regular-season college football game, Brigham Young vs. Pittsburgh.