Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark stepping down

The Big 12 sent shockwaves through the college athletics world on Friday when it was announced that Commissioner Brett Yormark will step down from his post no later than the end of January 2027.

Yormark joined the Big 12 as its commissioner back in August of 2022, leaving his job as CEO of Jay-Z's Roc Nation just months before the Big 12 lost Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. While many expected the conference to fold and be absorbed by other power conferences, Yormark stabilized the Big 12 and oversaw its growth to 16 teams over the next two years.

The Big 12 has now emerged as one of the top three conferences for football and the undisputed best conference in basketball, inking new media rights deals with ESPN and Fox Sports along the way.

Yormark developed a reputation for an aggressive mover, often drawing pushback from Big 12 presidents and chancellors for wanting to do too much too fast. For example, Yormark repeatedly tried to add independent UConn, but never managed to garner enough support from his board.

It's unclear yet why Yormark is leaving the Big 12 after such a short tenure - his predecessor, Bob Bowlsby, served for a decade - but he is expected to take on a new role outside of college sports. Yormark will work with the board to determine his successor.

“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,” said Yormark. “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.”

The timing is certainly concerning, as Congress is actively working on passing the Protect College Sports Act - something Yormark has strongly supported - and College Football Playoff expansion feels imminent as well.

The Big 12 is undeniably in a better spot than when Yormark first arrived, but there is still a lot of uncertainty for the conference's future. The individual who replaces him as commissioner will have no shortage of pressure to deliver immediate results.