Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is exiting the conference to pursue a position outside of college athletics.
Yormark informed his superiors of his impending exit nearly ten days ago, according to Kansas Chancellor Doug Girod. After discussions over recent days, the Big 12 board formalized his departure terms on Friday morning.
Girod told ESPN: “He approached us with a proposal to craft a path for what you’d call an ‘elegant exit.'”
Yormark will remain until the end of January to guarantee a seamless transition. As the league’s fifth commissioner, the organization will now initiate a nationwide search for a successor.
He stated, “When I took this role, my objective was to propel the conference upward and ensure its future was stronger than ever. The upcoming commissioner will inherit a league of 16 members, and it is a historic moment for the Big 12.”
Chair of the board, Girod remarked, “He’s been a strong asset to the organization.”
Yormark arrived at the Big 12 when he took over for Bob Bowlsby nearly a year after Oklahoma and Texas voted to bolt for the SEC. Girod said Yormark’s ability to navigate the Big 12 to its current television deal will be his legacy in the conference.
During his launch conference at Big 12 media days in July 2022, after accepting the position, Yormark declared the conference open for business. His tenure was marked by a bold strategy to secure the league’s future and bolster its brand.
A hallmark of his leadership was accelerating the push for an early renewal of the television agreement. The Big 12 secured a robust partnership with ESPN and Fox, setting the conference apart from the Pac-12.
Girod emphasized that without Yormark’s initiative to secure a rapid TV deal, the conference could have mirrored the Pac-12’s misfortune, highlighting the pivotal impact of his leadership.
We recognized this at the time, and the outcome confirmed that his leadership, experience, and media network have proved invaluable.
Girod also complimented Yormark’s handling of the integration of eight new schools into the Big 12 during his tenure, as they merged with the eight traditional schools.
The Big 12 had already incorporated BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF prior to his appointment. In 2023, they welcomed Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah, all joining under his stewardship.
Prior to his appointment, the conference had added BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. In 2023, they added Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah, all entering under his guidance.
His background, as the former COO of Roc Nation with a career rooted in the NBA and NASCAR, offered the league the innovative leadership they needed.
Girod recalled how Yormark’s rapid decision‑making—often outpacing the typical college sports timeline—including a push to add UConn, which initially faced resistance.
Girod smiled, noting that Yormark’s swift drive forced them to temper the pace, as they could not tolerate the speed; early missteps would have been problematic given his habit of moving quickly.
The inclusion of the eight new schools cemented the Big 12’s position as arguably the premier men’s basketball conference, second only to the NBA. Houston captured the national championship in 2025, while Arizona advanced to the Final Four earlier this year.
The upcoming commissioner will inherit a conference of 16 members, and it is a historic moment for the Big 12.
“I think he thought he had one good run left in him,” Girod said. “He had to decide whether to do it with us or someone else.”
Looking ahead, Girod expressed confidence that the league could recruit a suitable successor.
“I’m going in very open‑minded,” he said. “I don’t need a [Yormark] twin. I need someone who hopefully has some experience with campuses, and mostly is going to be an innovator and help us on that path of revenue diversification and thinking differently about how we conduct ourselves and be the tip of the spear in some of these changes.”
ESPN’s Max Olson contributed to this report.
