Get Ready! Yormark is Moving Fast on Big 12 Business including TV Rights

STILLWATER – Remember a few weeks ago when we wrote a story that said Pokes Report had learned that new Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark was much further down the road than anybody thought in negotiating an extension with the Big 12’s current multimedia and television partners ESPN and FOX? We had it on good authority and reported it. Now from Kansas City and the Big 12 Basketball Women’s and Men’s Media Tipoff event we have discovered from Yormark himself that he is down the road and that meaningful discussion has and is happening. We know the Big 12 Presidents and Chancellors that make up the Big 12 Board of Director and the athletic directors are privy to much of what has been discussed and is on the table.

The Big 12 and the television partners eagerly sat down at the table and from the Commissioner’s comments it is going well.

Pokes Report

ESPN (here) and FOX Sports appear to be ready to continue as the Big 12’s partners on TV .

“I love ESPN and FOX and I believe in digital too and streaming,” Yormark expressed to Sirius-XM and Big 12 This Morning. “I believe it is imperative we continue to have a relationship with ESPN and FOX because of how broad their platform is and the consumers they reach, and how they can elevate and amplify everything that we are doing. That is my focus right now. Can I get a deal done now that is in our best interest or do I wait 16 months, I am having meaningful conversations right now and I hope I can get there. If we collectively decide we love where we are going and want to bet on ourselves and wait, then I think we will make that decision in the next week or two.”

News soon with enthusiasm is a good thing. The Pac-12 Conference went through their early negotiations period and it did not produce anything. In fact, there weren’t even positive signs mentioned. Yormark was asked about taking a serious back seat to the new “power two” of the SEC and the Big Ten and their expected revenue distributions of close to $100 million a school annually. The Big 12 Commissioner said he did not expect that to be the case. He said he felt the Big 12 would end up with more television revenue than the past (all-time high of $46 million) and he mentioned that with the new marketing arm of the Bog 12 that has been hired and with Endeavor serving as a consultant in media negotiations that he saw increased revenue. Part of that he said would come from new revenue streams.

Big 12 Conference

Mike Gundy, shown here with Yormark, has been very impressed with Yormark’s creativity.

“For me it’s how do we diversify revenue? How do we do things very differently and take advantage of this great platform with the Big 12? That is what we are analyzing,” Yormark said. “I’ve got a view and a strategy that is shared by our Board, and I think that strategy is uniquely positioned for the Big 12. My biggest concern when I wake up every morning is how do I position the Big 12 to be the best version of itself? That is what I’m focused on day in and day out regardless of what other conferences are doing.”

This was a basketball event and while we all realize that football is king and the major revenue producer, Yormark is a basketball guy by much of his experience and he wants to use that sport and Big 12 success as the recognized top basketball conference in men’s basketball to create revenue.

Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

Yormark high on Big 12 hoops too.

“Basketball to us is critically important. It is at the epicenter of who we are and where we are going.  It in our DNA and part of our great history. It gets better next year when you think of Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, etc.”

In review, keep your eyes and ears pealed. The Big 12 Commissioner doesn’t let grass grow under him, barely anything at all. He is constantly moving and the multimedia rights negotiations with ESPN and FOX are moving at break neck speed.