Brett Yormark to Leave Big 12 in January for Job Outside College Sports

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is preparing to leave the conference after January to pursue a new opportunity outside college athletics.

Yormark informed conference leadership of his decision nearly 10 days before the announcement, according to Kansas chancellor Doug Girod, who chairs the Big 12 Board of Directors. The board formally approved the terms of his departure Friday morning.

Girod said Yormark approached the conference with a proposal to arrange what he described as an “elegant exit.” The commissioner plans to remain in his position through January to help ensure a smooth transition.

The Big 12 will begin a national search for its next commissioner, who will become the sixth person to lead the conference.

Yormark Leaves After Transforming the Big 12's Position

Yormark took over from Bob Bowlsby in 2022, at a difficult moment for the conference. Texas and Oklahoma had already announced plans to leave for the SEC, raising significant questions about the Big 12's long-term stability.

However, Yormark quickly established an aggressive approach to protecting and expanding the league's future.

One of his most important decisions came shortly after taking office. He persuaded conference leadership to exercise an option to renegotiate its television agreement earlier than originally planned.

The Big 12 ultimately secured a media rights deal with ESPN and Fox, strengthening its financial position while the Pac-12 struggled to find a comparable agreement.

Girod identified that television deal as a defining part of Yormark's legacy.

He suggested that without Yormark's push to move early, the Big 12 could have faced a situation similar to the collapse of the Pac-12's media negotiations.

“His leadership and experience and network in the media world has continued to be extremely beneficial for us,” Girod told ESPN.

Eight New Schools Expanded the Conference

Yormark also oversaw a major expansion that reshaped the Big 12's membership and national footprint.

BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF joined before his arrival. During his tenure, Colorado returned to the conference in 2023, while Arizona, Arizona State and Utah also made the move from the Pac-12.

Those additions brought the Big 12 to 16 members and helped establish a new competitive identity for the league.

Girod praised Yormark's ability to bring eight incoming schools together with the conference's eight established members, saying the integration was a significant undertaking.

Yormark's influence also extended to basketball. He frequently described the Big 12 as the second-best basketball league in the world, behind only the NBA. Houston reached the national championship game in 2025, while Arizona made the Final Four earlier this year.

An Unconventional Leader for College Athletics

Before joining the Big 12, Yormark served as chief operating officer of Roc Nation. His professional background included experience in the NBA and NASCAR rather than traditional college athletics administration.

That difference was part of what attracted the Big 12 leadership.

Girod said the conference wanted an innovator with experience building brands rather than another traditional athletic director.

Yormark's fast-moving approach occasionally required conference leaders to slow down his plans. Girod recalled discussions about potential expansion, including an effort to add UConn that did not receive sufficient support from Big 12 leadership.

Despite those differences, Girod described Yormark's impact positively.

“He's been really good for us,” Girod said.

The conference extended Yormark's contract through 2030 in May 2025, making his planned departure earlier than that agreement anticipated.

Big 12 Begins Search for Its Next Commissioner

Yormark said he believes the conference is in a strong position and that his successor will inherit a league with a promising future.

“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 in a statement.

Girod said the next commissioner does not need to replicate Yormark's personality or career path. Instead, the conference wants someone who understands university environments while continuing to innovate.

Revenue diversification and new approaches to operating college athletics will be important priorities for the next leader.

Yormark's departure marks the end of a significant period of change for the Big 12. His successor will inherit a 16-team conference with a new media rights agreement, an expanded national presence and an established position in college basketball.