Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark on men’s, women’s hoopa, football
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark on men’s, women’s basketball, Big 12 football
As is tradition, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark opened the two-day basketball media session with a question-and-answer period. In Tuesday’s “State of the Big 12” remarks, he touched on several topics including the popularity of men’s and women’s basketball, the success of the league’s football squads, private equity and scheduling issues with teams in several time zones.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark on the popularity of women’s basketball
“Four of our women’s programs are in the top 16 of the AP poll for the first time since 2008, I’m incredibly bullish on our programs. Last year Big 12 women’s basketball viewership was up 111%. Our women’s championship game will now be played on Sunday on ESPN providing greater broadcast and fan exposure for the pinnacle of our season.
“If BYU earns a spot in the championship, the game will be pushed to Monday.”
Big 12 men’s basketball continues to rule
“Our men’s basketball continues to be second-to-none. Four straight years we’ve led the conferences in average NET rankings. Last week the Big 12 became the first conference in history to have five teams in the top 10 of the AP season poll (Kansas, Houston, Iowa State, Baylor and Arizona. UC is 20th). Our ratings are up, especially in that coveted younger viewership demographic. This season 93 men’s games will be carried on linear television, the most since the 2018-19 season. This season will also see the debut of an extended partnership with CBS. At least 26 games per season will air across CBS Sports platforms.”
Big 12 basketball tournaments will remain in Kansas City
“I inherited it in Kansas City when I got here. Having experienced it for the first time in the spring of ’23 we decided to double down. We’re here through ’31. We think it’s a great destination. They embrace this tournament for all the right reasons. Having the men’s and women’s back-to-back here gives us a big voice and a big platform. It’s also geographically very desirable. It’s in the middle of our footprint. We love it here, we love the building and we’ll be here I’m sure for a long time.”
Big 12 football is getting noticed
“We promised a season of parity, depth and an exciting race to the Big 12 championship. So far, I’d say we delivered, probably over-delivered. Right now we’re on pace to have multiple teams in the first-ever 12-team football playoff. Through eight weeks, seven teams are either bowl-eligible or one win away from eligibility.”
Will the Big 12 add a ‘strategic partner?’
“We continue to look into the potential value of adding a strategic partner. I don’t talk about private equity as much as I talk about should we be exploring a strategic partner? Someone that provides capital resources and strategy to help us build our business. I’m a big believer in outsourcing to people who know more than we do. Does that mean we end up with a strategic partner? Maybe, maybe not. But, it’s incumbent upon me as commissioner to explore every and all options to make sure we’re as strong as we can be as a conference. I don’t have a crystal ball and who knows what the future holds when it comes to capital and how it makes it way into our ecosystem. From my perspective, I’m doing my appropriate due diligence on behalf of the conference and we’ll see where we land.”
Adding the ‘four corners’ schools (Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah) should help basketball ratings
“That was a huge get for us across the board. It’s helped us in football, it’s helped us in men’s basketball and Olympic sports. I think you’re going to see a lot of ratings increases, men’s and women’s sports. It gives us a national footprint, gets us into a different time zone. It’s exactly what we had hoped for.”
Accommodations for Big 12 teams traveling across different time zones
“When you think about football, as you cross two time zones one week, you get the bye the following week. Those principles are being carried over to men’s and women’s basketball and other sports. Student-athlete well-being is obviously important. Travel, we’re very mindful of and it’s very much a part of our scheduling process and will continue to be for all the right reasons.”
As an example, UC men’s basketball will hit both Utah schools (BYU and the Utes) in one trip Jan. 25-28. The following month those schools will come east to Cincinnati Feb. 8 (BYU) and Feb. 11 (Utah).
Football-wise, after UC plays at Colorado Saturday, they have a bye week until they host West Virginia Nov. 9.
