ARLINGTON New Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has declared the league “open for business,” saying while nothing is imminent that will review all options as he takes on the rescheduling of conferences rocking college games.
Yormark made his presentation Wednesday at the start of the football press day at AT&T Stadium. He was named Bob Bowlsby’s replacement two weeks ago. The next day it was announced Southern California and UCLA would be leaving the Pac-12 to participate in the Big Ten in 2024, based on all sorts of speculations about what might follow.
“We’re exploring all the options and we’re open for business,” Yormark said, when asked immediately if the Big 12 is actively participating in discussions with any Pac-12 schools.
“The choice is good, and we’re investigating them all,” he said, without commenting on the schools. “I think it’s fair to say I’ve received a lot of calls, a lot of excitement. People understand the side of the Big 12, and we’re exploring those levels of interest.
With the Pac-12 under 10 teams, any major absence of members could ruin a conference that was officially established in 1959.
The former owner of Roc Nation and CEO of Brooklyn Nets officially begins his career on Aug. 1, but has long been busy with the Big 12 business.
“What I love most about participating in the Big 12 is the change in front of all of us today,” he said. “We have the opportunity to grow and then build the Big 12 brand and business. … Moments like this don’t happen very often, and we need to use them wisely. ”
With the restructuring, Yormark emphasized increasing revenue and the opportunity to win over the Big 12 brand, to be more optimistic and to embrace a youth culture “to be small and high.”
He also mentioned “seeing the true professionalism of college sports” during the naming, photo and comparison awards for athletes who have reached their second year.
The move of the Big Ten West is another strong change in the conference rescheduling, just like when it was revealed a week after the Big 12 broadcast days last summer, Texas and Oklahoma moved to the Southeast Conference no later than the 2025 season.
“I’m sure Brett really appreciates the way he was introduced to the Big 12 Conference and, once again, puts the conference at the top of the list of things to face,” the president said. Baylor, Linda Livingstone, was part of the three-member Big 12 executive committee that headed the search.
Livingstone spoke to Yormark by phone a few days after he was named, which was followed by news about UCLA and USC.
“Well, welcome to college games, and you thought working for Jay-Z was a lot of fun,” he told her.
Yormark described himself as working hard on the reorganization, with comments from the entire conference.
The Big 12 is going into its 12th and final season as a 10-year league. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF are all participating next summer after being confirmed for membership last September.
The departure of the two Pac-12 brands was the most shocking, just as it was last year when the Big 12’s league champions were the only football team that decided to open back to the conference.
Yormark said the possibility of adding more teams to the Big 12 will not necessarily have an impact on any decision involving the Longhorns or the Sooners leaving before the league rights agreement expires. which has three more football seasons.
“I’m sure there will be a time when we sit down, discuss the future,” Yormark said of Texas and Oklahoma. “But in any case, I see a winning streak. That being said, it is important that whatever happens is for the best good of this conference. ”
Yormark plans in August and September to visit the current Big 12 schools and the four coming up next summer.
Livingstone said Yormark stood at the top of a strong group of candidates in the search process.
“We can see that in his experience in professional sports and sponsorship, and in the media, in entertainment, because of where college athletics are going, and all the changes that are being made, with and when our media rights negotiations come up, Brett, with the sheer power of sportsmanship at the conference, will be a standout. ‘ good combination to set us well for the future, ”he said.
It was Yormark’s first job in college athletics, though he said it was a job he always thought about.
The 55-year-old became manager of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation commercial side after previously working with the Nets and managing the Barclay Center, their home ground, for more than a decade. He was NASCAR’s vice president for former sponsorship companies.
“I always had a vision to have in college sports. In fact, I thought it might be an AD, I’m not sure,” Yormark said. “But I loved the opportunity. It was reinforced during my time at the Barclays Center. When this opportunity came, I said, let’s do our best, and thankfully all went well. ”
