Big 12 commissioner Yormark continues to impress by the day
Every time I read about or listen to Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, one adjective jumps to mind.
Impressive.
If you follow WVU, or college sports in general, you know the 56-year old graduate of Indiana has a stellar resume (VP of corporate marketing for NASCAR; CEO of Brooklyn Sports Entertainment, which oversaw the NBA Nets; Roc Nation’s CEO, etc.) and has made a huge splash by not only keeping the Big 12 together, but solidifying it. He was able to outmaneuver, raid and, yes, in effect, dissolve the Pac-12 Conference. One of the leagues had to go and Yormark made sure it wasn’t his Big 12.
College fans have seen Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah join WVU and the rest of the Big 12 to move to 16 teams. The league previously added BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston.
Even considering that, though, the more I follow Yormark, the more I’m impressed.
For one, I love his chutzpah.
In case you missed it, Yormark was just at Texas Tech’s Red Raider Club kickoff luncheon.
“Candidly,” he told the crowd, “we were able to get Texas and Oklahoma out of [the Big 12] early. That was a big deal for us, and I think all of you, OK? And [football] Coach [Joey McGuire], I’m not going to put any pressure on you, but I’m going to be in Austin for Thanksgiving, OK? And you better take care of business, like you did right here in Lubbock last year.”
It was a big ol’ Horns Down to departing Texas, which indeed lost 37-34 last season in Lubbock. Of course, that led to criticism, like KVUE TV anchor Cory Mose calling the remarks “classless, clueless and calculated.” But, hey, if your team is still in the Big 12, you’ve gotta love it, right?
Also, Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalance-Journal tweeted (is that still the right word since it’s now “X”?) different video clips of Yormark that were even more impressive.
Here’s what the commissioner said about dominos falling for the Big 12 in expansion.
“We did a lot of scenario match-making because it was such a fluid process,” Yormark said. “What did staying put mean? What did going to 14 mean? What about 16? I can tell you the four corners [additions of UA, ASU, CU and Utah] was a dream scenario for us.
“When you look at my white board, I use a lot of data. I like to follow the data. The probability [of moving to 16] wasn’t all that high from my perspective, but it happened, and we embraced it. Right now, we think 16 is an ideal number. Now my focus is integrating those four schools in all the right ways.
“When I leave here, I’ll be going to Colorado. I’ll be meeting with their leadership. It’s important they come in feeling really good. Last week we had AD meetings and all four new ADs were present. So, they are part of the family already. For me, it’s about making sure that transition is fluid and very positive so next year they feel very good about where we are.”
The only other commissioner in WVU’s past I respected as much as this guy was retired Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. But even Tranghese wasn’t as blunt as Yormark.
Ask ol’ Brett if he feels bad about the Pac-12.
“I don’t think about any other conference,” Yormark said. “I don’t want to be that direct, but I guess I am. I wake up every day thinking about the Big 12 and how to be the best version of ourselves. I’ve been thinking that way since I took the job and I’ll continue to do so.
“It’s my singular focus – realizing our potential, amplifying, elevating everything we do and truly becoming a national conference, which we’re becoming.
“Yes, there’s been some consolidation, but I think consolidation bring stability. No industry is immune to consolidation. Again, stability is what we all need in this industry. I think, from a conference perspective, we have it. I look forward to working with the schools coming in and being a part of what we’re building… From what I’ve heard, they’re ecstatic and I’m excited.”
Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt certainly shares my admiration for Yormark.
“It’s just an exciting time,” Hocutt said. “Just the energy… He’s challenged us all to think differently. He’s brought a different way of thinking to college athletics that’s needed in today’s environment and world. I couldn’t be more excited that he’s our commissioner. His ideas are coming faster than we can digest. It’s going to be a promising future. He’s got ideas to expand our brand. Our fans will see the ideas in the next couple of years.”
Or maybe we don’t have to wait that long.
“I had an opportunity when I was the CEO of the Brooklyn Nets to take the Nets to play in Mexico City in 2017 and had a wonderful experience, a cultural experience,” Yormark told Williams. “It was fantastic. And when I took the [Big 12] job, I wanted us to have an international strategy, but not one where it was a one-off of going to X, Y or Z country. I felt it was important for us to have a strategy. And when you think about Mexico and the proximity of Mexico to our geographic footprint as a conference, it’s a natural extension for us.
“Think about the consumers and fans in Mexico. They love American football and they love basketball. Look at the NFL and NBA and UFC, they’ve all gone to that market and been extremely successful.
“Now it takes time. But we’re going to launch with men’s and women’s basketball in December of 2024. We’ll follow that up with women’s soccer and baseball. We’ve talked about a bowl in Monterrey. We have to think through that now, though, because of realignment. There’s lots of opportunities now regarding bowl games, so we have to pause on that effort right now. But when you mention men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and baseball, we’re really excited about that initiative and it’s interesting. Wherever I go, people ask about the Big 12 in Mexico. They are very intrigued by it. I think they see the possibilities I see.”
There was a Yormark remark, though, that made me chuckle. He discussed yet another Big 12 initiative. If you didn’t catch it, the league has increased its 2019 partnership with U.S. Integrity to prevent athletes, coaches, and staff from prohibited sports wagering. Education and monitoring have been increased.
“Given what’s happened with the landscape,” Yormark said, “we’ve decided to effectively double down.”
Mild faux pas? Yes. But when it comes to Yormark, the Big 12 rolled a seven with the hire.
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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.
