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Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark sat down to “talk all things Big 12 football, from kickoff times to availability reports to the conference’s place in the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics,” according to a Q&A with Michael Lev of the ARIZONA DAILY STAR. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: The Big 12 has embraced Friday nights. How do you balance taking advantage of those TV windows … with the fan experience?
Yormark: We’ve got to be creative. We’ve got to explore new and different windows. I went out and met with FOX, I met with ESPN, already thinking about scheduling for next year. How do we create some open air, if you will, for the Big 12?
Q: Adding the Four Corners schools, plus BYU, gives you an additional time zone or two, depending on the time of year.
Yormark: I like where we’re situated right now when you think of the windows. But I would like to explore new and different opportunities, keeping the fans in mind and keeping the travel also in mind for our student-athletes.
Q: It feels as if the Big Ten and SEC are teaming up at the expense of everyone else. Is that just a perception? Is it something that concerns you?
Yormark: It’s more of a perception than a reality. Football is bigger than any one conference. The game is bigger than any one conference. Speaking on behalf of the Big 12, we have a big voice in what happens in the future, and I make sure that our voice is heard and that I represent our membership in all the right ways. There is a spirit of cooperation amongst the four of us. We do meet quite a bit in person and virtually, just to make sure that we’re vetting what’s going on and where we need to go. Rest assured, and I’ve told our members this and our fans: We have a big voice, and we’re going to make sure our voice is heard as it relates to any changes moving forward.
Q: Any progress on the naming rights for the league itself?
Yormark: I can’t speak to anything specific, but I can tell you that I’m exploring all the right ways to create value for our membership, because I think it’s critically important right now to do that. I’m leading that effort (ARIZONA DAILY STAR, 10/29).
