Big 12’s Power Play: Brett Yormark’s Unexpected Extension Sparks Speculation Through 2030
Oh, you better believe Brett Yormark isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Big 12 just locked him up with a fresh three-year deal, keeping him firmly in charge through 2030. Since stepping in when Bob Bowlsby exited back in 2022, Yormark has been the mastermind navigating the turbulent seas of college sports realignment — and let me tell you, it’s been nothing short of a chess match. With Texas and Oklahoma taking their talents to the SEC, the Big 12 didn’t just sit back; they aggressively scooped up BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, UCF, and then added Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State to the fold when the Pac-12 couldn’t get its media ducks in a row. The savvy media rights deals Yormark helped broker — especially the multi-billion-dollar, long-term TV pact with ESPN and Fox — have kept the Big 12 competitive, visible, and downright relevant in a landscape that’s shifting faster than you can blink. Plus, the recent additions of CBS Sports and Turner Sports broadcasting Big 12 basketball and football games only sweeten the deal, thanks to some clever sublicensing arrangements. All told, Yormark’s grip on the Big 12 reins looks as tight as ever — the question now is, what’s his next move in this high-stakes, ever-evolving game?
AdvertisementBrett Yormark is sticking around as the Big 12’s commissioner.Advertisement
Yormark has been at the forefront of the recent realignment era in college sports. As Texas and Oklahoma left for the SEC ahead of the 2024 football season, the Big 12 moved to add BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. The conference then added Colorado and subsequently Utah, Arizona and Arizona State as the Pac-12 dissolved when it couldn’t agree to a new media rights deal.AdvertisementThe Big 12’s media rights deal was a big reason why the conference was able to stave off more defections than Oklahoma and Texas while also expanding. Not long after Yormark took over, the Big 12 agreed to a new TV deal with ESPN and Fox that extended the current agreement through the 2030-31 seasons.
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