Big 12 Commissioner wants programs around the country to know: ‘We are open for business’

By Lys Marquez, Staff Writer

Published Jul 30, 2023

The Big 12 Conference logo is displayed on a barrier at Amon G. Carter Stadium before Duquesne played against TCU in an NCAA college football game in Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 4, 2021. TCU remained the smallest enrollment in the Big 12 Conference at 10,222, but the Horned Frogs made the College Football Playoff national championship game last season. Their basketball team then made the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and the baseball team went to the College World Series. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins, File)

Last fall, the Big 12’s newly-minted Commissioner Brett Yormark declared the conference was “open for business.”

He vowed to “explore every and all possibility to grow revenue, to diversify our conference and do things that hadn’t been done before. And we did a lot of that.”

A year later, the conference has four new members, the loss of two conference legacy members, a new TV deal and plans to play conference games in other countries.

The Big 12 has quickly become a highly-discussed topic, and Yormark is the face behind this rising conference. The changes reflect Yormark’s career.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark indulges a student media outlet with a Baylor Bear hand sign before speaking at the opening of the NCAA college football Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

Yormark’s career

Yormark has a substantial resume in both the sports and entertainment worlds.

His professional career in the industry began in the early 1990s when he sold TV times to sports teams at Katz Sports in New York. He oversaw and managed the broadcast sales rights for NBA, MLB and AHL teams such as the Admirals, Bucks and Timberwolves. In addition, he sold sponsorships for the Detroit Pistons and worked alongside Palace Sports and Entertainment as senior account executive.

He quickly switched to the track in 1998 when NASCAR hired him as director of corporate marketing where he helped open an office in New York in efforts to expand the company. He would then move up as vice president of corporate marketing, negotiating a 10-year, $750 million sponsorship between NASCAR and Nextel Communications.

Barclays Center Chief Executive Officer Brett Yormark, right, presents boxing promoter Floyd Mayweather Jr. with a Brooklyn Nets jersey before announcing a Super Middleweight World Title Unification bout between Johannes Gabriel Badou Nyberg, of Sweden, who fights under the name “Badou Jack,” and James Regale of Great Britain, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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From left, developer Bruce Ratner, left, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, hip-hop mogul and Nets part-owner Jay-Z, and Nets CEO Brett Yormark pose for photographers with the still under-construction Barclay’s Center behind them in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday, Sept. 26, 2011. The group announced the sports and entertainment complex will open in Sept. 2012 with a concert by Jay-Z. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Brooklyn boxers Mark Breland, left, Paul Malignaggi, second from left, and Daniel Jacobs, center, and Junior Jones, second from right, pose for pictures with Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark during a media workout in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012. Malignaggi and Jacobs will be fighting in the first boxing event at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Oct, 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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Long Island University (LIU) President Kimberly Cline, far left, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, second from left, and Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark, second from right, confer after the lowering of a scoreboard, during a ceremony to kickoff renovation of Long Island University Brooklyn Paramount Theatre, Thursday June 21, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

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Brooklyn Nets CEO Brett Yormark, left, applauds veteran Nets broadcaster Ian Eagle, center, who acknowledges the crowd after accepting a gift from Yormark as the Nets celebrated Eagle’s 25-year career during a break in the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, in New York. Eagle’s wife, Alisa, is at right. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Forest City Ratner CEO Bruce Ratner, left, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, second from left, Governor David Paterson, third from left, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, fourth from right, entertainer Jay-Z, third from right, President of Barclays Robert Diamond, second from right, and Nets’ CEO Brett Yormark prepare to shovel dirt during the ground breaking for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Thursday, March 11, 2010. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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In 2005, Yormark joined the Brooklyn Nets franchise paving his way to CEO of both the Brooklyn Nets and the Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment Group. In 2012, Yormark led the team’s move from New Jersey to Brooklyn and assisted with rebranding the franchise. With Yormark, the Barclays Center and NYCB LIVE led in ticket sales and were named two of the industry’s top venues worldwide.

File-This Sept. 21, 2012, file photo shows New York City police officers patrolling outside the Barclays Center, Brooklyn’s new area and home of the Brooklyn Nets NBA basketball team, in New York. Calling it a ‘season of learning a lot,’ Brett Yormark said he is pleased with the New York Islanders’ first year in Brooklyn. “We had to make some adjustments,” said Yormark, the Chief Operation Officer for Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, which oversees business operations and marketing for the Barclays Center, the Islanders and the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. “I live by the mantra you have to show progress, week to week, month to month, and I think we’ve done that in all areas of the business.” (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) (AP)

Before his departure from Brooklyn, Yormark was challenged to bring back professional boxing to the city, and the Barclays Center hosted over a dozen world championship fight nights. He also made sure that college basketball had a spot and secured agreements to host the NCAA Men’s Basketball, ACC Men’s Basketball and the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball tournaments.

The commissioner’s first year

When Commissioner Yormark first took on his role in 2022, he said the conference was “open for business,” and he meant it. He wants to explore every option possible to continue the growth of the Big 12.

Yormark said he’s happy with the progress, but not satisfied — there is still a lot of work to be done.

“It’s not necessarily about where we have been,” he said. “It’s about where we are going. As we look forward, we will continue to innovate, create, and positively disrupt, living at the intersections of culture, sports, and business”.

Following his opening statement at the conference meeting in July, Yormark presented a list of conference accomplishments over the past few months.

Yormark added four new schools to the conference: the University of Houston, Cincinnati, BYU, and the University of Central Florida. This followed with the departure of two original Big 12 teams: The University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma.

Take a look at the four new schools resume and what they said about playing in the Big 12 this upcoming season.

Expansion teams

BYU coach Kalani Sitake smiles before speaking during the Big 12 college football media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

BYU Cougars

BYU was led this past 2022 football season by Head Coach Kalani Sitake finishing the season 8-5. The team underperformed in the first half of the season until a victory in the first weekend of October. They were able to come back and win their final four games, just two games short of the 2021 total.

An original member of the Western Athletic Conference in 1960, the BYU football program has been an FBS Independent football program and before spending 11 years with the Mountain West Conference.

After their last independent run this past season, Coach Sitake said they are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with membership in the Big 12 Conference.

“I mean this is something that we’ve been dreaming of for a while, speaking as a fan,” he said. “Now that we’ve been given this platform, I’m excited for the opportunities that we have."

Sitake talked about the struggle being an independent program for so long and how the transition to a 14-team conference will look like for the program.

“This isn’t going to be easy and we know that,” said Sitake. “That’s why independents, I told Tom [Holmoe--director of athletics] find as many [teams] as you can that people don’t want to play; I want to play them all, with the thought that possibly this could be the goal.”

BYU was expected to go farther last season after being named one of the most experienced teams in college football and having star quarterback Jaren Hall. Fortunately, the team had one last trick up their sleeve in the postseason with their appearance in the 2022 New Mexico Bowl vs SMU.

The Cougars took down the 7-6 SMU Mustangs 24-23. The Cougar’s defense came in clutch to secure the one-point win. SMU’s Rhett Lashlee decided to go for two on the line with eight seconds remaining. Head Coach Sitake was pleased with sophomore Jakob Robinson’s tackle on SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai at the 1-yard line to secure BYU’s bowl win.
Houston’s head football coach Dana Holgorsen speaks at the NCAA college football Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

University of Houston Cougars

The University of Houston football program dates to 1946 when Houston joined the Lone Star Conference under the leadership of former TCU football player Jewell Wallace. In their first intercollegiate sport conference, the team lost 13-7 to Southwestern Louisiana and ended their first season 4-6.

The most significant realignment of the Coogs squad was when the Southwest Conference dwindled and split. Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor all joined the Big 12 in the fall of 1996.

Twenty-six years later the Coogs finished their 2022 season 8-5 under the direction of Dana Holgorsen in his 5^th year with Houston. Much like BYU, 2022 was supposed to be a great exit year. With a loaded roster, veteran quarterback Nathan Tune, and many seasoned veterans, they thought this was the perfect recipe for their grand exit of the American Athletic Conference. It was not.

The team struggled on both sides of the ball. Being a 2^nd half team makes it difficult to win games against competitive opponents. An inconsistent defense and too many penalties resulted in an 8-5 record.

Coach Holgorsen expressed his excitement for a fresh start and getting back to his roots with the Big 12 Conference.

“This is a special deal,” Holgorsen said. “Been a part of the Big 12 Conference for 17 years and been a part of this for seven years. The last four years have been a little different for me, being in the American Conference, and it really makes you appreciate a conference like the Big 12 by now being back. The University of Houston has been looking forward to this day for a long, long time.”

Last season the Coogs played two non-conference games against Big 12’s Texas Tech and Kansas. They lost 33-30 to Tech and 48-30 to Kansas. Holgorsen said that despite their record last year, everyone is starting with a fresh slate, as far as new additional schools go.

“Well, every year is different.,” he said. “Forty-two spots on our roster this year are new, so every year is different, every team is different.”

He added that he’s had the time to reflect on the two losses to Big 12 schools. He said, looking back, that he was a little harsh on the team’s performances.

“I think we probably made a little bit too big of a deal playing Kansas after losing to Texas Tech,” he said. “The way we lost to Texas Tech was just a hard way to lose, and we had another opportunity to play a Big 12 quality school. The University of Kansas, who was playing lights out at the time, was as good as anybody in the country I would argue when we played them.”

The program knows that this is a deep conference to compete in but are ready to take on the challenge.
UCF head football coach Gus Malzahn answers questions from reporters at the NCAA college football Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, July 13, 2023.(AP Photo/Emil T. Lippe) (AP)

University of Central Florida: Knights

The UCF program dates to their first football tryout in March of 1979 led by former American and Canadian football player Don Jonas [Donald Walter Jonas] when the program was a part of the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.

The UCF Knights finished their 2022 football season 9-5, advancing to the conference title and then losing in a blowout Military Bowl game against Duke 30-13, under the direction of Head Coach Gus Malzahn.

During Big 12 Media Days, Coach Malzahn opened by expressing his excitement for the opportunity for the UCF program to be a part of a Power 5 conference.

“First of all, we’re extremely excited to be here,” said Malzahn. “This is a huge moment for our program, to be a part of the Big 12. A lot of excitement.”

With the realignment, Malzahn also realigned his roster.

“We’ve returned six on both sides of the football,” Malzahn said. “We have our kicker and our punter back, and both of those guys were phenomenal last year. We brought in 18 transfers, and most of these guys weren’t just starters on their previous teams, but quite a few of them were impact players.”

Malzahn knows that this is a deep conference, understands the competition, and thinks that being the “new kid on the block” could be used in their favor going up against schools like 2021 Big 12 Champion Baylor and 2022 Fiesta Bowl champs TCU.

“Our first conference game is on the road at Kansas State, and that’s no treat,” said Malzahn. “Our first home conference game is Baylor. The last two champions, so that’s a huge challenge. But like I said, it’s a deep conference. When you look at your schedule, there’s no off weeks. You’ve got to bring you’re A-game every week. That’s really what stands out to me coming in as a new kid on the block.”
Cincinnati head football coach Scott Satterfield answers questions from reporters at the NCAA college football Big 12 media days in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, July 13, 2023.(AP Photo/Emil T. Lippe) (AP)

University of Cincinnati: Bearcats

The University of Cincinnati began their football program in 1957 and through 1969 the program competed in the Missouri Valley Conference and won two conference championships. The program later shifted and joined the Conference USA where they would spend nine years. Now after spending nearly a decade in the American Athletic Conference the Bearcats are officially making the move to the Big 12 Conference for 2023.

This past football season the Bearcats were able to finish 9-4 overall and made their appearance in the 2022 Fenway Bowl, They lost 24-7. The Bearcats were led by Head Coach Luke Fickell but the program is entering the Big 12 with a new face. Fickell left for the University of Wisconsin.

Scott Satterfield becomes the 43^rd head coach in program history.

Coach Satterfield spent the last four season with the Louisville Cardinals. This past year he led the Cardinals to a 7-5 record. He also became the first coach to lead a school from the Football Championship Subdivision to FBS in 2014. Satterfield said that experience will help him lead Cincinnati into the Big 12 conference.

This year the Bearcats are looking to improve their defense. Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs said he’s excited to move down the line and help get this defense up to par entering the new conference.

“I started at nose (tackle) last year and now I’m playing defensive end,” Briggs said. “It’s a lot of fun being out here a little bit more and you know to add on to that this defense is a lot different. This defense is a lot more aggressive, go and get up field, attack. Kind of create those seams whereas, in some different defenses an inverted seam would be a bad thing. This one you want the seam, you want to make something shake up there at the line because it makes it easy for guys to play target practice.”

Another change in the Bearcats offense: Evan Prater making the transition from quarterback to wide receiver.

Coach Satterfield mentioned that Prater is doing well with this transition, has powerful hands and has fully emerged as an offensive weapon. He also stated that he expects a lot out of the WR room this season with potential starting slot receiver Aaron Turner.

These additions were only the beginning for Commissioner Yormark.

Locations of Big 12 schools stand as a part of a display during the Big 12 college football media days in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Emil T. Lippe) (AP)

This past season Yormark negotiated a six-year deal worth $2.28 billion with ESPN and Fox Sports just three months after taking over the conference. That deal starts in 2025-2026 and runs through 2031. Yormark’s showed his advertising expertise early when the conference bought commercial time during the 2023 MLB All-Star game.

Going international

Expanding internationally has also been on the forefront of Yormark’s mind. The commissioner has launched the idea of Big 12 Mexico: expanding not only football, but basketball, soccer and baseball to have games in Mexico.

Yormark said that it is important to provide Big 12 athletes with the opportunity to play internationally.

“Mexico is a natural extension to the Big 12 footprint,” said Yormark.

He said that through Big 12 Mexico, Big 12 student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international setting, and the conference will have the chance to showcase its brand across Mexico.

The Big 12 is also implementing a Spanish broadcast in hopes of expanding its audience. The conference is currently discussing hosting a bowl game in Monterrey, Mexico beginning in 2026.

Back home

Yormark is making sure that the conference is set on the biggest stage, also making sure they stay on the biggest one in Texas—where the Cowboys play. The Big 12 and AT&T Stadium agreed on a contract extension to host the conference championship game through 2030.

Kansas State players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Big 12 Conference championship NCAA college football game against TCU, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero) (AP)

“The Big 12 and AT&T Stadium both call the Metroplex home,” Yormark said. “Through this extension, we will host our Football Championship at a world-class venue in our own backyard.”

He said they are grateful for the support and partnership of the Dallas Cowboys organization.

Getting younger

All of the changes in the conference are done with the goal of connecting the conference to a younger audience.

Yormark had success with broadening the conference’s audience this past season; it gained 100,000 new followers across social media platforms for a 309% increase. The commissioner said the conference is connecting to culture in ways they have not explored.

“Our goal is to connect to Gen Z,” Yormark said. “We want to get on the consciousness of not just current student-athletes, but future student-athletes. Getting younger is one way to do that so we are excited about that direction.”

Looking to the future

Yormark ended his speech this summer the same way as he did in 2022: “We are open for business.” He also mentioned the conference may be interested in adding other schools, including schools already in Power 5 conferences.

“If the opportunity presents itself where there’s something that creates value and aligns well with our goals and objectives starting with the board, then we’re certainly going to pursue,” he said.

The Big 12 season kicks off Aug. 31 as UCF hosts Kent State on FS1 and Kansas will welcome Missouri State on ESPN+.