Brett Yormark saved the Big 12. Now it must find someone who can close the gap
· Yahoo Sports
Two people, each a veteran of more than a decade in college athletics, left no doubt about Brett Yormark’s impact on the Big 12 Conference.
Visit extonnews.click for more information.
"In a time where the Big 12 should have been forgotten — he kept them relevant and their brand is stronger than ever," said a college athletics stakeholder. "He wasn’t perfect, but Brett seemed to be an alpha and was put in a situation where only an Alpha could prevail. He enjoyed and embraced change."
An individual with direct Big 12 institutional ties put it even more bluntly: Yormark kept the league from dying.
"His biggest accomplishment is saving the league," the person said. “(Our) conference would have gone away if not for him. His simple proposition of giving Colorado a signing bonus to get them to join us in our league was a huge moment in time.
"Otherwise, our conference could have gone away or been no different than the current Pac-12. Instead, we’re in a league that’s an AQ (automatic qualifier for the College Football Playoff)."
Via the Big 12 office, Yormark announced Friday he will step down from his post Jan. 31, 2027. A former CEO of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, Yormark will have served four-and-a-half years as Big 12 commissioner when he departs.
"I am looking forward to passing the baton to the next commissioner and continuing to cheer this league on as a lifelong fan of the Big 12," Yormark said via statement.
All individuals who spoke with USA TODAY Sports on Friday, Oct. 30, about Yormark’s impending exit and the Big 12’s search for its next leader were granted anonymity to speak candidly and avoid the appearance of attempting to influence the process.
So what does the Big 12 need in its next leader? An individual with direct ties to the conference put it succinctly.
"The new leader has to find a way to close the gap," the person said, "between the P-2 (Big Ten, SEC) and the Big 12 in a meaningful way in this new era."
Who replaces Brett Yormark? Big 12 commissioner candidates emerge
Multiple people with direct knowledge of the Big 12’s inner workings wondered whether the league will again seek a visionary leader unafraid to challenge the status quo, or move in a more traditional direction.
"(Yormark) will be difficult to replace," an individual who works directly with multiple Big 12 institutions said. "They need to find another forward-thinking leader and not a reactionary like most of the current power conference commissioners."
Three people cited Fox Sports’ Jordan Bazant as someone who could potentially get involved in the search. A former SEC football player at Vanderbilt, Bazant has spent the past four-plus years with Fox and also has worked on the other side of college athletics as an agent.
Unsurprisingly, three deputy-level SEC employees also were cited as candidates who could make sense. As one stakeholder noted, and multiple others emphasized, the Big 12 must find ways to close the gap, if not the gulf, between its revenue and that of the Big Ten and SEC.
SEC Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Charlie Hussey; Garth Glissman, associate commissioner and head of men’s basketball; and Jessica Presnall, the SEC’s chief legal officer and general counsel, all were cited by third parties as potential fits for the role.
Presnall already has intricate knowledge of the Big 12. She spent a decade with the conference, rising to COO before the SEC hired her away a year ago. Presnall also was heavily involved on behalf of the Big 12 in the House settlement negotiations.
American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti, a former Rutgers football player and athletic director at his alma mater, was another potential candidate mentioned to USA TODAY Sports. The American is headquartered in Irving, Texas, the same city as the Big 12.
One individual said an internal hire, whether from a member institution or the Big 12 headquarters, could aid the transition.
"The one real advantage of hiring somebody internal is that you can go and absolutely jump-start the process," the person said, "because that individual comes in knowing where everyone is and where schools stand."
A handful of sitting athletic directors also were mentioned as potential candidates, including Alabama’s Greg Byrne, Tennessee’s Danny White and Pitt’s Allen Greene. Each has found creative ways to enhance revenue generation while embracing new technologies, including A.I. in Greene’s case, in leading their respective athletic departments.
“I don’t know if any one of those guys would have interest,” the person said.
Regardless of whom the Big 12 chooses, the job will demand continued adaptation. Yormark helped the conference secure more than $500 million in deals after taking over in 2022.
"Sure, we’re all splitting that 16 ways," the person said, "but that’s transformative. He professionalized our league, forced some old-school thinkers to modernize.
"The biggest thing is he got us to think differently, to understand the cost of doing business."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brett Yormark saved the Big 12. Now it must find someone who can close the gap