KANSAS CITY — Life is good in the Big 12 Conference these days, but commissioner Brett Yormark still isn’t sleeping well.
“My job is to make everyone feel good in the Big 12, but behind the scenes … everything keeps me up at night,” Yormark told reporters on stage Tuesday during the basketball conference media days at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
“I’m happy, but never satisfied. I want more. I want to continue to compete at the highest level. I want more for Olympic sports. I want guardrails, you know, when you think about a sustainable model for collegiate athletics, I want good rules and good enforcement.”
Maybe Yormark just needs a new mattress. As the commissioner noted, five of the conference’s football programs are currently ranked, with three teams in the top 10 and BYU recently made a powerful national statement by toppling No. 2 Notre Dame in Provo.
The preseason AP Top 25 for men’s basketball includes six Big 12 schools, and the league also has six ranked volleyball teams, five ranked soccer teams and some of the best cross country teams in the country on both the men’s and women’s sides.
According to Yormark, conference sponsorship revenue is up 65% this year – Monster Energy logos are splashed all over the media days site – with partnership revenue increasing nearly 3,000% since 2023.
“I love where the conference is going, I love where we’re going, I love the investments that our schools are making at every level,” Yormark said.
“I think there’s never been a better time than today to be a part of the Big 12. We have an incredible journey ahead of us; I love the cohesion among the 16 (member institutions). Obviously, in the last four years we’ve added eight new members, and it takes time for everyone to solidify and integrate, but I think we’re in a great place right now.”
Additionally, this year’s basketball media days will feature more accredited media members than ever before, helping to echo Yormark’s assertion that “the momentum and relevance of Big 12 basketball has never been better.”
“The Big 12 remains the second-best league in basketball, behind the NBA,” Yormark said. “Last season, we tied a conference record with eight NCAA Tournament selections on both the men’s and women’s sides. On the men’s side, we placed three teams in the top two lines in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003…Our goal is to achieve double-digit NCAA Tournament bids on both sides, but success is measured by how well these teams progress and ultimately win championships.
“There are no off nights in the Big 12. This level of competition is what makes our league great, and fans are voting ‘yes’ for this conference. Regular season viewership has increased significantly, with viewership last year for conference games up 20% for the men and 35% for the women.”
Here are other highlights from Yormark’s remarks at Big 12 basketball media days.
On the College Sports Protection Act
“This is the closest we have ever been to passing meaningful legislation, and I look forward to working with legislators as the process moves through the House. Like any startup, the College Athletic Commission has continued to evolve and improve. Together, these efforts help move college athletics in the right direction.
“I want to commend (NCAA President) Charlie Baker and the NCAA for their leadership as they confront many of the complex issues facing our industry…I appreciate their willingness to explore new ideas and solutions.”
On NCAA Tournament Expansion
“I was a proponent of expansion, and I think for a conference like ours, it will provide more access to teams that deserve it. We’re excited about expansion and the benefits it will bring to the Big 12, that’s for sure.
Big 12 “Respect the Game” Campaign
“The ‘Respect the Game’ campaign is something that our sportsmanship committee has really rallied around with our marketing department. We think it’s the right campaign to educate fans, within the Big 12 and beyond, that respect for the game is essential. You’ll see more and more content supporting ‘Respect the Game’ over the coming weeks, so we’re just getting started.”
Big 12 playoff championships
“Nothing has been done yet, nothing is final, so I don’t want to go into too much detail. But for us, the marquee events, our championship game was very valuable, our basketball tournaments, men’s and women’s, were very valuable.
“If there’s a point where a change is made, we’ll look to (replace) those events with other events. We’re in the events business, it gets a lot of fan engagement and excitement. So we’ll see what happens in the future, but these are big times for us. For whatever reason, if one of them goes away, we’ll replace them with something different.”
BYU’s recent victory against Notre Dame
“As the season progresses, I expect several teams to compete for a spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.
“…I was in Provo, and it was a great game and a great moment for this conference. Our schools are committed to playing the biggest and the best, and I believe if we were to do something with the (College Football Playoff) and expand it to 24 (playoff teams), you’ll see the dynamics of the schedule move in a different direction.
“I think it will be positive when you think about the schedule and the top matchups week in and week out, especially outside of conference, so we’re committed to that.
“We want those big moments. We want to compete with the best, like what happened in Provo last weekend.”
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