Big 12 Conference Commissioner Brett Yormark to Depart After Four Years

Brett Yormark will step down as Big 12 Conference commissioner, the league announced Friday. Yormark has been in the position for over four years, guiding the conference throughout an era of sweeping change in college sports and expanding its membership to 16, among other accomplishments. His tenure will officially end on January 31, 2027.

Yormark did not provide a reason for his decision in his announcement; The Athletic reported his next role will not be in college athletics. University of Kansas Chancellor and Chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors Doug Girod told ESPN that Yormark alerted Big 12 leaders about his intention to leave nearly 10 days before the announcement. The terms of his departure were formalized Friday morning.

“When I accepted this job, my goal was to put this conference on an upward trajectory and truly believe that the future of the conference could not be in better shape,” Yormark said. “The next commissioner of this league will inherit a conference that is ’16 Strong.’ There has never been a better time to be a member of the Big 12 than right now.”

Yormark’s tenure began in 2022, declaring that the conference was “open for business” during his introductory press conference during Big 12 media days.

From there, he secured a six-year, $2.28 billion television contract with ESPN and Fox that sharply increased media revenue for the Big 12’s member schools. The conference also added eight new members, following the departure of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC, and expanded globally with the inaugural Union Jack Classic between Kansas and Arizona State in September, the first college American football game played at London’s Wembley Stadium.

“When Brett arrived, we were at a crossroads in the Big 12 and as a college sports enterprise,” Girod said. “Brett’s vision, business acumen and confidence put us on the path we find ourselves on today. He leveraged traditional and non-traditional avenues in the college space, solidifying the Big 12 Conference’s future.”

The Big 12 also made headlines in June when it filed a federal lawsuit against member school Texas Tech. Former Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby had taken a legal route to regain eligibility after the NCAA ruled him permanently ineligible for acknowledging he’d placed 9,000 wagers totaling than $90,000 across four years. Sorsby withdrew his lawsuit after the Big 12’s filing, and the conference subsequently withdrew its lawsuit.

The conference announced a national search for its next commissioner, who will step into the role during a complicated and chaotic time in college sports. The commissioner will also soon be tasked with securing another TV deal, as Yormark’s agreement with ESPN and Fox will expire in 2031.