MORGANTOWN — Closing in on his one-year anniversary of becoming Big 12 commissioner, Brett Yormark spoke at Big 12 media days Wednesday about what he accomplished in his first year at the head of the conference.
“It’s hard to imagine that one year ago I stood before you for the first time,” Yormark said. “As many of you know, when I took this job I did not have a background in college athletics. I relied on the advice and guidance of many people who helped coach me through my first year and heading into year two, I still have much to learn.”
Yormark, who came to the Big 12 from entertainment agency Roc Nation, stood at Big 12 media day last year and proclaimed that the conference was “open for business”. In the 12 months since his introduction, Yormark believes the conference has delivered on that proclamation.
“Since then we’ve jumped ahead of the line and extended TV agreements with existing partners through 2031, creating tremendous stability and clarity for this conference,” he said. “We accelerated Texas and OU’s withdrawal, which was a win-win for all parties.”
Just three months after Yormark was introduced, the Big 12 announced a new media rights agreement with ESPN and Fox Sports. The conference also negotiated Texas and Oklahoma’s exit from the league to the SEC in 2024 and added four new teams, Central Florida, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati.
“This event kicks off our first-ever season as a 14-team league,” Yormark said. “We plan to use this season to celebrate the incredible strength we have going forward with our eight continuing members, our four incoming members and also to celebrate the impact that Texas and Oklahoma have had on this conference since day one.”
Asked about the impact that the exit of Texas and Oklahoma, the conference’s two biggest brands, will have, Yormark downplayed it’s impact.
“They have a great identity, they’re national brands and they’re a great part of the history of this conference,” he said. “But like I said last year, this conference is bigger than any two schools.”
The Start of Football Season
Yorkmark had several announcements for the upcoming football season and beyond in the Big 12.
First, Yormark announced that the conference has extended its agreement with AT&T Stadium to host the Big 12 championship game through 2030. He also announced that the championship game this season will feature a halftime show with a “major artist” that will be announced when tickets go on sale next month.
“There’s a lot of excitement around this league,” Yormark said. “New members are exceeding their ticket goals while existing members are doubling down on their investments in the sport.
“With this being the last season before the CFP format expands to 12 teams and with the Sugar Bowl slated to be a semifinal host site, if our champion is not in the top four, it is guaranteed a spot in a New Year’s Six game,” Yormark announced. “We’ve also added an eighth bowl game to our lineup this season with the addition of the Independence Bowl.”
The conference is also exploring the possibility of playing football games on Thursdays and Fridays in the future.
“We don’t do anything without the input and the signoff from our ADs and our board,” Yormark said. “It’s very hot in the summer months and into the fall, so playing on a Friday night versus a Saturday morning does have its benefits. When you think about the tonnage of college football on air on a Saturday, it provides a lot of opportunity for us to build our profile on a Friday night. There’s a lot that goes into that decision, it’s not all about the visibility, it’s about the fans and what’s right for our schools and their campuses.”
Possible Expansion
Yormark has previously said he would like for the Big 12 to stay at 14 members even after Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC. He walked those comments back on Wednesday, saying they will not force expansion.
“We’re not chasing a number. If and when the opportunity presents itself to stay at 14, we’ll pursue it,” he said. “There’s lots of different routes you can take with expansion. As it relates to a school that’s non-Power 5, if they create value and they align well with our goals and objectives, it’s a conversation we’ll consider having.”
When asked about adding four non-Power 5 schools for this year, Yormark said as long as the conference sees value, they’re willing to consider anyone.
“From my perspective, I’m not really competing with the other Power 5 conferences,” Yormark said. “I want the Big 12 to be the best version of ourselves and if we can do that, we’re in a great place. It’s not about ranking us within the Power 5, but I’ll tell you this, there’s been no better time to be a part of the Big 12 than right now.”
NIL
Yormark said he has spent time on Capitol Hill talking to Congress about introducing legislation to regulate name-image-likeness laws across the country.
“Obviously it’s an issue that we’re all addressing,” he said. “We would like federal legislation to create some uniformity to NIL. There’s 32 states and, in many cases, very different interpretations. There are other components as well that go along with it. We’re addressing it as an industry and in partnership with many of the conferences in the NCAA.”
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