Show notes
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark's expansion strategy, often summarized by his mantra "Open for Business," is a holistic approach focused on transforming the Big 12 into a national, innovative, and commercially aggressive brand. This vision goes beyond simply adding new schools to stabilize the conference after the departure of key members. Since taking the lead, Yormark has overseen the conference's expansion to 16 teams across four time zones, adding members like BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston.
The "Open for Business" philosophy means treating the conference as a "mature startup," seeking to be younger, more progressive, and innovative than its peers. Yormark is keenly focused on maximizing and diversifying revenue streams. This includes leveraging new media rights deals with ESPN and Fox, creating new monetization opportunities through initiatives like a football pro-day showcase similar to the NFL Combine, and exploring premium areas and permanent seat licenses (PSL) at conference championship events.
Crucially, the strategy includes a significant global expansion effort. Yormark has cited the importance of playing games overseas, with plans to host conference football games in Dublin, Ireland, and exploring Big 12 Mexico initiatives for sports like women's soccer and baseball, all aimed at extending the conference's brand and reach to a global audience.
Furthermore, Yormark is actively pushing for changes at the national level, favoring the modest expansion of the NCAA Tournament (to potentially 76 teams) and supporting a 16-team College Football Playoff model with a "5+11" automatic bids plus at-large bids format. He remains against models that would predetermine an advantage for other leagues, stating his goal is to give Big 12 schools a chance to compete at the highest levels and be recognized as the "deepest football conference in America." This aggressive, commercially-minded stance defines the "Open for Business" era
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