Brett Yormark shares what Big 12 looks for in expansion candidates

The Big 12 and Commissioner Brett Yormark welcomed four new programs into the conference this summer, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, and BYU. However, the conference is still looking to expand beyond these four teams and potentially even poach programs from the Pac-12.

During a conversation with Joel Klatt on Big Noon Conversations, Yormark shared what he’s looking for in expansion candidates.

“I don’t want to say it’s complex, but it is complex,” Brett Yormark said. “We have guiding principles for expansion. Leadership is critically important, cultural fit, geography, athletic performance, brand upside. There’s lots of things that go into our decision making, and when I first took the job and I have said it quite a few times since I truly want to be a national conference. I want to be in four different time zones, I want fans from coast to coast. But, again, it needs to fit within those parameters.”

In these conversations, football tends to be the sport most talked about. However, for Brett Yorkmark and the Big 12, basketball remains incredibly important too.

“Basketball is an important part of it, too, and I’ve said that before.”

Brett Yormark emphasized the importance of basketball, saying it can be a “catalyst for a lot of things moving forward.” He went on to argue that basketball offers the Big 12 more than media value, which tends to be small compared to the value of football. Instead, basketball helps with international expansion and other growth opportunities.

“Do I think we’re undervalued? Certainly, I do. Do I think there’s an opportunity down the road to maybe decouple football from basketball, when we go back into that next TV cycle? I certainly do.”

One school that Brett Yormark and the Big 12 have shown plenty of interest in is Colorado. Analyst Greg McElroy expects Colorado to join the Big 12 by 2026 despite the Colorado chancellor saying the school’s goal is to remain in the Pac-12.

“They know brand. I’m a brand guy,” Yormark said of Colorado. “I think they’ve done an incredible job if you look at kind of how they’re elevating and amplifying their brand and engaging with their fans. They’ve done a wonderful job. So I wish them well.”

Brett Yormark would be disappointed if the Big 12 doesn’t expand by 2025

For Brett Yormark, 14 schools are the ideal size for the Big 12. That’s a number he’d like to be at permanently by 2025.

“I would say if in two years we have not solidified ourselves at 14, I would be a little disappointed. Just because I’m so bullish on our conference. I think there is really opportunity and possibility out there for us. I love the 12. I think we have great makeup right now, especially with the four new members and the continuing eight,” Yormark said.

“But two years from now, I’d like to see us kind of look at things a little differently and maybe look a little differently. And hopefully, that happens. And if that doesn’t happen, it is okay. But I’d say I guess I’d be slightly disappointed.”