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The man in charge of it all took the stage first Tuesday at Big 12 Football Media Days in Las Vegas.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark opened the event with comments and answered questions from media before coaches of conference teams followed. Here is the most notable of what he had to say.
1. ‘Open for Business’
Like the business man he is, Yormark started by talking numbers.
Yormark said sponsorship business for the Big 12 grew 79 percent and ticket business increased by 23 percent, as every team in the conference last season averaged at least an 88-percent stadium capacity.
“As I think about our commercial business, our top priority is growth and creating value for our member institutions,” Yormark said. “I often refer to our league as a mature startup. This means our brand can be younger, more progressive and innovative, compared to some of our peers.”
Sponsorships for the conference included Old Trapper for last year’s media days and Totino’s this year. Sponsorships will only increase throughout the league as the NCAA approved schools to have corporate logos on their field, but Yormark wants even more.
“I love what they recently did with on-field logos,” Yormark said. “I’ve been very vocal with the NCAA to push for making commercial patches permissible for officials’ uniforms, similar to what the NBA has done. I’ve spoken to our football officials, and they are in favor of it, and I’m optimistic that will happen soon.
“From a conference perspective, we are exploring all options. Two years later, I guess you could say we’re still open for business. Naming rights is one, private equity is another.”
2. On Private Equity
And as Yormark mentioned, the Big 12 has reportedly looked at naming rights and private equity investments for the conference, which Marshall initially explained here.
Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports reported last month that the Big 12 is considering taking a private equity investment, with a portion of the cash infusion going directly to conference members to help keep up with the SEC and Big Ten financially. Yormark briefly mentioned that thought during his remarks, sparking a question about it.
“I’m not going to get into too much of a conversation on private equity, but as I said earlier, we’re exploring all options,” Yormark said. “I do believe that given where we are, the industry, having a capital resource as a partner makes a ton of sense. That’s really how you conduct good business. I really believe that. And if you see where private equity is kind of making a path into professional sports, at some point in time it’s going to come here into intercollegiate athletics. We’re exploring what that might look like. And a structure and a model of what that looks like is going to be critically important so that we’re not compromising the long-term future of the conference.”
3. ‘A Necessary Reset’
Big 12 Football Media Days being hosted out West in Las Vegas as the conference is growing to 16 with four new schools joining is a clear sign that we’re not in the Big Eight anymore.
College sports have changed more than ever in the last decade. Conferences have completely shifted, with Oklahoma and Texas bolting for the SEC, and the Pac-12 on life support, forcing Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah to join the Big 12. Student-athletes can be paid now through Name, Image and Likeness. There’s not only a College Football Playoff instead of the BCS now, but that playoff is expanding from four teams to 12 this season.
But unlike most, Yormark is welcoming to change.
“Obviously I’m very passionate about where we’ve been and where we’re going,” Yormark said. “But I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch base on the current state of affairs in our industry. We are going through change, but I would rather call it a necessary reset. In 10 years, I think we look back at this period as a positive moment in collegiate athletics history.”
4. ‘We’re In For Something Pretty Special as a Conference’
At last year’s Big 12 Football Media Days, it was unsure how the conference would continue, and if it even would, without OU and Texas, especially if more members jumped ship. But this year, there are four new universities being represented at media days — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. The “Four Corner Schools” will officially join the Big 12 on Aug. 2 after leaving the Pac-12.
“I’ve been saying it for a year now, but the four corners was the A scenario for us when we thought about realignment,” Yormark said. “Big brands, great markets, engaged fan bases, both academic and athletic excellence. As I said earlier, we got deeper and better in football, we got deeper and better in basketball, and we got deeper and better in Olympic sports. So it’s been a win for this conference, and I’m thrilled and excited, on Aug. 2, to officially welcome the four corners. As I said, they’re here today, obviously. And I think we’re in for something pretty special as a conference. I really do.”
5. ‘Being in Vegas is Critically Important to Us’
As new members join the conference from out West, Big 12 Football Media Days might not be the only event the conference hosts in the Pacific Time Zone.
Media days has been hosted in Arlington, but a scheduling conflict moved the event to Vegas temporarily. The Big 12 championship games for football and baseball are also in Arlington. Basketball championships are in Kansas City, while wrestling is in Tulsa. So the conference, which spans from Utah to West Virginia, has stayed centrally located, but with no Power Conference in the West now and adding more teams from that way, Yormark said this year’s media days could be only the start of something.
“As it relates to the West Coast, this is a great example,” Yormark said. “It’s indicative of our appetite to move a little west with some of our tent-pole events. Being in Vegas is critically important to us. Even before last year’s realignment I said we had to be in Vegas and a little more west. This is the entertainment and sports capital of the world now. It’s incredibly important for our brand and business, and we’ll continue to explore opportunities to take some of our tent-pole events, championship events more to the West Coast if the opportunity presents itself and if it makes sense.”
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