Doug Elgin is Retiring as MVC Commissioner

Exclusive – His First Interview

(St. Louis, MO) – Doug Elgin is retiring as Commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference. After 33 years at the helm of the nation’s second oldest athletic conference, Elgin has elevated the Valley’s national exposure far beyond what anyone else would have believed.

The 69-year-old Elgin helped pioneer the Valley’s television network and partnerships. He managed to bring the conference’s men’s basketball tournament to St. Louis and his staff hosted 12, NCAA basketball events in the Gateway City.

Elgin will complete this collegiate season and academic school year.

During his first interview after the announcement, he simply says ‘it’s time’. He is a team player and believes making the announcement now gives the league’s search committee ample time to find his replacement.

 

 

33 Special Years

During our interview, the ever humble Elgin consistently gave credit for league accomplishments to his staff (Go to our full interview to hear him brag on his team). The Valley senior staff of Elgin, Jack Watkins and Mike Kern have been together for the past 29 years. Patty Viverito precedes Elgin to the league and oversees multiple Valley interests, but in particular the league’s football conference. MVFC is the nation’s top FCS conference.

Watching Valley teams succeed at the national level made his job very enjoyable.

 

 

There is a family culture running in and through the Missouri Valley Conference. Elgin believes having low turnover, particularly at the senior leadership level is one of his personal high-lights. His willingness to promote others and their desire to serve has born great fruit.

Part of the family feel stems from Elgin’s great appreciation for the league’s history and for the leaders of the ten Valley universities.

 

 

Great Accomplishments

Elgin is a fan. He loves the games, the athletes, the coaches and winning. While discussing the high-lights of his tenure, he reflexively talks about NCAA Tournaments, conference championships and bringing ‘Arch Madness’ to St. Louis. Loyola’s recent run to the Final Four is high on his list, but the Jackie Stiles-led (Southwest) Missouri State run to the Final Four (in St. Louis) is right with it.

 

 

Long before most college conferences had some kind of television package and long before ESPN+ and millions of games being streamed, Elgin had a vision for MVC TV. The league’s self-created television package helped put the conference on the map. However, Elgin believes on-court success secured the Valley’s national reputation. MVC TV is and was a booming success.

Even Elgin was surprised when CBS Sports first offered to broadcast the Arch Madness Championship game.

 

 

Elgin, Watkins, Kern and long-time team member Joe Mitch were ever the innovators. Doug says it was Mitch’s idea to start a league hall-of-fame. They created a ‘Spirit of the Valley’ award to honor the conference’s unsung heroes and during this offseason the #OneValley initiative designed to fight against racial injustice and systemic racism has been launched.

Perhaps #OneValley will be the most significant. Elgin is passionate about helping end racism in America and is enthusiastic about the league’s current efforts.

 

 

Doug Elgin Is Retiring

I had to type it again. I’m still not sure I believe it. How does one so talented stay so long? He loves his job. He genuinely enjoys the staff and he loves college athletics. His ability to command and also befriend is amazing. The friendship and mutual respect in the Valley office is palpable.

Doug has been able to build a culture of service, excellence and friendship. They’ve achieved great things, while viewing themselves as servants. He says, ‘we’re a service organization’.

 

 

At the end of the day, this job was made for Doug Elgin and Doug Elgin was made for this job. He says it was a perfect fit and there would be no reason to ever leave, but admits he once interviewed for another position.

 

 

Final Thoughts – For Now

Doug will be around the rest of this season and school year, so I’m sure there will be volumes said and written about him. In all honesty, when I received this news, I was genuinely sad. He is a pro’s pro and is held in high regard nationally and yet, he is genuinely enthusiastic about engaging in conversation with every person with an interest in the league.

His leadership of the Missouri Valley Conference has been steady and innovative. Doug was not afraid of taking risks to succeed, but knew how to weigh the consequences. He is quick to credit others and has been the ‘Father of the Valley’ for a long time and today the ‘children’ are legitimately sad.

The league will begin a national search and someone will fill Doug’s office, but no one will fill his shoes.

Do Good