Aresco held his first news conference Wednesday since being hired by the Big East. He was joined at the New York Athletic Club by University of Cincinnati President Greg Williams, the head of the league's search committee.

The Big East was gutted during the last round of conference realignment, losing three longtime members (Syracuse, West Virginia and Pittsburgh) and a member-to-be (TCU). It has reconstructed itself as a national football conference that will span four time zones starting next season.

"I think you approach realignment with the idea that you strengthen your conference," said Aresco, who is leaving his job as an executive vice president with CBS Sports to take over the Big East in early September. "You make it a place people want to be. You make it a place where people who have left would rather have been back there. You make sure that there is a consensus among the schools."

Aresco said he believes the rebuilding league is stable.

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The person spoke Tuesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the conference was still working on an official announcement.

Aresco has been a vice president in charge of programming for CBS since 1996. He's handled the network's contract negotiations with the NCAA for the rights to the men's basketball tournament. He also negotiated CBS's 15-year deal with the Southeastern Conference.

The Big East is in transition and will begin crucial negotiations on a new television contract in September. The defections of longtime members West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse cost former Commissioner John Marinatto to lose his job earlier this year.

The website ajerseyguy.com, run by former Boston Globe reporter Mark Blaudschun, first reported the Big East has picked Aresco.

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