Brett Yormark pleased with growth of Big 12, but more possible
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is thrilled with where his league currently sits.
When Yormark took the post three years ago he set out to accomplish a list of goals ranging from modernizing the conference, becoming more visible for future student athletes, establishing a foundation for success, becoming a national conference and doubling down with ESPN and FOX.
“We’ve done all of that and more,” Yormark said.
The Big 12 now stands at 16-teams spanning 10 different states and reached an extension of their media rights deal with both major linear partners for six years at over $2.28 billion.
At the league’s annual media days Yormark admitted that he is excited about the trajectory of the Big 12 and the commitment that the league’s members are making in infrastructure, performance and student athletes. In all, the end result is everything he could have wished for when he created that initial check list but he realizes that it’s just getting started.
“This conference today is not the best version of itself but we will be sooner rather than later,” Yormark said. “We have a unified board, an incredible group of ADs. We share the vision for this conference and I’m excited about our future.”
As part of that future, the focus is on continuing to strengthen the football product. Every school in the conference including West Virginia is committed to providing the highest level of benefits available to student athletes through revenue sharing. Yormark also believes that the Big 12 is the deepest football conference in America from top to bottom.
“No league offers the competitive balance that we do. Last season the Big 12 led the nation in fourth quarter lead changes and go ahead scores in the final minute of conference games,” Yormark said.
This season the league will return plenty of star power with nine quarterbacks returning that threw for over 2,400 yards last season and the rest of the power four leagues bring back only 11 such players.
That is leading to big expectations on the field for Yormark.
“I fully expect the Big 12 to earn multiple College Football Playoff bids this year and to show once again that we can compete with anyone,” he said.
The Big 12 season will open this season in Dublin, Ireland pitting Kansas State against Iowa State and the next year TCU will play in Ireland against North Carolina. It’s part of an initiative from Yormark to be a global conference in many ways and he also outlined the possibility of playing baseball in Mexico City and Baylor women’s basketball in Paris to kick off the season.
“We’re having conversations with other countries throughout the world that are very interested in bringing the Big 12 to their market place. I think the game in Ireland is an impetus to future global expansion and I’m all in on it,” Yormark said.
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