Arlington, Texas • A year ago, Brett Yormark declared the Big 12 was “open for business.”
This time around the conference’s commissioner is laying out a more cautious business plan.
As Yormark opened Big 12 media days at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday, the second-year commissioner deflected most questions regarding conference expansion and walked back some of his boldest statements from his inaugural address.
“When I said we were open for business last year, I think people took that as, ‘Oh my god, this guy is new and he wants to go in and disrupt,’” Yormark said. “I guess [I did] in some respects. But ... open for business [meant] that we are going to explore every and all possibilities to grow revenue to diversify our conference. To do things that hadn’t been done before.”
Nearly a year into Yormark’s time in the commissioner’s seat, expansion remains the main topic swirling around the Big 12. As long as the Pac-12 still doesn’t have a media rights deal, and the main candidates for expansion remain in limbo, it likely will remain the biggest topic for Yormark for the foreseeable future.
But even as things materially remain the same, Yormark’s approach has changed. He walked back comments that the Big 12 must expand to 14 teams even after Texas and Oklahoma leave. Essentially, he took the approach that he would let expansion come to him rather than chase two new members.
“I did say [I wanted] 14 teams,” Yormark said. “I do think there is strength in numbers. But I also said we are not chasing a number. If and when the opportunity presents itself to stay at 14, we will pursue it. But I did say [I wanted 14 and] I back peddled a little bit. I realized it is not about chasing a number. ... We will see where that takes us.”
When asked if he had any plans to add a partner for BYU out west, he said no. Obviously, Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado are still waiting for a Pac-12 media deal to be finalized. San Diego State is also out there to be poached after it blundered its exit, or lack thereof, from the Mountain West Conference.
Yet, Yormark insisted there was “nothing on the board” regarding western expansion.
When asked if he would be fine staying with 12 members after Texas and OU leave, he said he would welcome that.
“If we stay at 12, we are perfectly fine with that,” Yormark said.
And even when pressed if he was thinking about specific moves in expansion at all, he sidestepped the topic once again.
“We have a plan for expansion. And I’m not going to really address it today,” Yormark said. “You can ask me, but I’m not really going to address it. We do have a plan. And hopefully we can execute that plan sooner than later. But as I’ve always said, I love the composition of this conference right now. The excitement the four new members have brought to this conference has been incredible.”
Yormark, unlike in 2022, seemed like he didn’t want to get involved in the back-and-forth that has become conference realignment talk.
About the only specific he did give was that he wouldn’t mind expanding into four time zones. That would mean adding a team on the west coast – but Yormark’s desire to do that isn’t exactly groundbreaking.
“We are the only [Power Five] conference that Is in three [time zones]. If we went to four, obviously it makes us a little bit more national,” Yormark said. “In that regard it offers different windows to our TV partners. Different windows than we can offer them today. So I guess it would be a positive if it was the right fit.”
But even after he said that, Yormark wanted to be clear he wasn’t making any proclamations. He specifically pointed out that if the Big 12 did add a member from the non-Power Five ranks, like SDSU or UConn, it would have to go through discussions with the athletic directors.
“We have a plan but as it relates to any school that’s non-Power Five, if they create value and they align well with our goals, it’s a conversation we’ll consider,” Yormark said.
For now, though, Yormark’s second year in the commissioner chair started off on a different foot. The newcomer who came to Dallas last year is gone. This was a commissioner who clearly wanted to talk about something else — even if that wish might not be granted.
“I mean, listen, from my perspective I have dealt with [expansion] for a whole year,” he said. “So sooner or later it would be nice to kind of just push it aside and focus on the things that are most important. But, you know, I guess there is no timeline.”
