MONSTER ENERGY BIG 12 BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS

October 20, 2026

Brett Yormark

Commissioner

Commissioner Media Day Press Conference

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: Good morning, everyone.

Thrilled to be back and welcome to the 2026 Monster Energy Big 12 Basketball Media Days. Thrilled to be back in Kansas City, specifically at T-Mobile Center. They do such an incredible job for all of us. Thrilled we're back here again.

I want to thank our broadcast partners here with us all week. Without them, fans across the country wouldn't be as engaged as they are with Big 12 basketball.

I also want to recognize our outstanding student-athletes and coaches, who are joining us this week, as well.

Just as importantly, I want to thank all the media that is here, spending two days with us. Make sure you get your customized coffee. Make sure you get your caps from New Era. We have great things for you over the next two days, so just enjoy it while you're here.

I also have to give a special shout-out to my Big 12 staff. They do an incredible job preparing for this moment. Put a lot of time and effort into it. Want to thank them for their commitment.

Finally I also want to thank Monster Energy. They have come on board as a big partner of the conference. They're taking us to places we haven't been before. Most recently we had a co-branded car at the NASCAR race in Arizona this week, part of the NASCAR race for the championship. They're an incredible partner doing great things for us and our student-athletes.

The momentum and relevance of Big 12 basketball has never been better. In fact, this year marks the most credentialed media we've ever had at our basketball media days. As a different league, we like to take unique approaches and elevate our tentpole events. We brought men's and women's teams together for media days to create a more unified approach between our programs, which ultimately will strengthen the Big 12 basketball brand.

Before I discuss our conference and the upcoming season, I'd like to touch on several important national issues impacting our industry.

While college athletics continues to evolve, our priorities remain the same. Put student-athletes first. Preserve fairness. Create greater stability.

I'm encouraged by the progress of the Protect College Sports Act. This is the closest we've ever been to passing meaningful legislation. I look forward to working with lawmakers as the process advances to the House.

The College Sports Commission has continued to evolve and improve. Together these efforts are helping move college athletics in the right direction.

I want to commend Charlie Baker and the NCAA for their leadership as they navigate many of the complex issues facing our industry.

That includes tournament expansion and age-based eligibility. I appreciate their willingness to explore new ideas and solutions.

At the conference level, our board unanimously adopted a bylaw barring professional athletes from Big 12 competition to protect fairness, opportunity, and integrity.

Beyond those broader reforms, when it comes to CFP expansion, the Big 12 has consistently supported greater access for deserving teams across the country.

Final negotiations are ongoing, but I remain confident we will land in a place that benefits student-athletes and the future of the sport.

It's been a tremendous fall for our conference. We kicked off football season in Ireland, had an incredible experience in London, with two teams competing in the first college football game ever at Wembley Stadium. I remain bullish on our international aspirations and believe we can win globally.

We currently have five football games ranked in the AP top 25, including three in the top 10. As the season progresses, I fully expect we'll have multiple teams competing for a place in this year's College Football Playoff.

Our Olympic sports are also excelling. We have six nationally ranked volleyball teams, five ranked soccer programs, and two of the top three cross-country teams in the country on both the men's and women's sides.

Off the field we are pursuing commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships that create value for our member institutions. We project our partnership revenue will be up 65% this year. Since 2023, that number has grown by more than 2800%.

We also continue to explore innovative opportunities that elevate and differentiate the Big 12. Players Era is a great example. Half of our membership will compete in this year's event, represents one-third of the tournament field.

That brings me back to why we're here this week: basketball. The Big 12 remains the second-best basketball league behind only the NBA. I think I said that last year, but I'm going to say it again this year.

The depth across our conference has never been stronger. Last season we tied a conference record with eight NCAA tournament selections on both the men's and women's sides.

On the men's side we placed three teams on the top two seed lines of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003.

The Big 12 is the only conference with a team in each of the last two Final Fours. On the women's side, four teams finished with at least 26 wins, tying a conference record.

Our basketball success extended to the next level, with a conference-record nine first-round NBA Draft selections, four in the top 10, including the top two overall picks.

We also had five players selected in the WNBA Draft, including the number two overall selection and WNBA Rookie of the Year, Olivia Miles.

As we look at the upcoming season, I'd like to welcome our new head coaches. On the men's side, Randy Bennett at Arizona State; Jerrod Calhoun at Cincinnati; Casey Alexander at Kansas State. To all of you, welcome to the Big 12.

On the women's side, Gabe Lazo at UCF.

I'm excited to have them join the deepest coaching roster in college basketball, featuring current and future Hall of Famers. The student-athletes' talent across the Big 12 is equally impressive. For the second straight season, the nation's top two men's basketball recruits will compete in the Big 12.

11 of the top 40 high school recruits committed to Big 12 programs. Multiple women's programs rank among the nation's best transfer portal classes.

Six of our men's teams are in the pre-season AP top 25 poll, two in the top 10. We expect multiple teams to be ranked, as well.

Our goal is double-digit NCAA tournament bids on both sides.

But success is measured by how far those teams advance, and ultimately winning championships. There are no nights off in the Big 12. That level of competition is what makes our league great.

Fans are voting yes for this conference. Regular-season viewership has grown significantly with ratings last year for conference play up 20% for the men's and 35% for the women's.

Notably ESPN Big Monday Slate of Big 12 men's basketball games was up 100% last year. Building on the success of last year, we will once again be the most widely distributed conference, giving our fans unparalleled access to Big 12 basketball.

A record number of women's games will air on linear television this season.

I want to thank ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC and TNT for their commitment to our conference and their role in showcasing our student-athletes and our institutions.

We're excited about what we built, but we're not satisfied. Our goal is to be great every day. That mindset drives everything we do on behalf of our member institutions and student-athletes.

In closing, I want to thank you again for being here and for your tremendous support of the Big 12. I will happily take any questions right now. Thank you.

Q. With the 76-team tournament, how do you think that benefits a conference as deep as the Big 12?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: Well, first of all, I was an advocate for expansion. I think for a conference like ours, it will provide more access to the teams that deserve it. So we're excited about expansion and the benefit it will have for the Big 12, for sure.

Thank you for your question.

Q. Commissioner, are there plans to add more original content for the Big 12's FAST channel?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: Of course. We're in that business. Our FAST channel has been a big asset for us over the last couple of years. It's widely distributed. We're fueling it with original content. You'll see more engaging content this year than what you've ever seen before. We're committed to it.

Q. It's been five years now since the NIL agreement was put in place. Team and roster turnover has never been more pronounced. How has the conference helped navigate its member schools to ensure top-to-bottom competitiveness in every sport?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: The reason that we need the Protect College Sports Act, why I'm in favor of it, why we had wide support coming out of the Senate. I hope the same will hold true in the House.

Many of those principles in the bill will provide the type of fairness that we need so all our schools can compete nationally at the highest levels.

Thank you for your question.

Q. Your thoughts on the reception for the Respect the Game campaign that the league announced a few weeks ago?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: It's been great. The Respect the Game campaign was something that our sportsmanship committee really rallied around with our marketing department. We think it's the right campaign to educate fans of the Big 12 and beyond that respect for the game is critical.

You'll see more and more content that supports Respect the Game over the coming weeks. So we're just getting started.

But thank you for recognizing that. Appreciate it.

Q. With the expansion of the College Football Playoff, the Big 12 championship game, other conference championship games going away with that, do you foresee that happening with basketball tournaments as well, fading out as the tournament expands?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: First of all, nothing has been done yet with the CFP. It's only speculation. Nothing is final. I don't want to get too much into the details there.

But tentpole events for us matter. Our champ game has been very valuable. Our basketball tournament, both men's and women's, has been very valuable. If there's a point in time where change is made, we will look to backstop those events with other events. We're in the event business. It drives a lot of fan engagement and excitement.

We'll see what happens in the future. Those are big moments for us. For some reason if one goes away, we'll replace it with something different.

Thank you for your question.

Q. With BYU beating Notre Dame, that was such a huge showcase for the conference, Alabama and LSU have pulled out of a series with Big 12 teams recently. How difficult is it to get opportunities like that on the schedule? How much do you push schools to do that?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: First of all, I was in Provo. It was a great game, a great moment for this conference, but also just for college football fans generally.

Our schools are committed to playing the biggest and best. I do believe that if we were to get something done with the CFP, expand to 24, you'll see scheduling, the scheduling dynamic, move in a different direction.

I think that will be a positive when you think about scheduling and the best matchups week in, week out, specifically out of conference.

We're committed to it. We want those big moments. We want to compete against the best. No difference than what happened in Provo this weekend.

Thank you for your question, though.

Q. You talked about the PCSA, why that's something that you and the other leagues are supporting. There's also across the country players suing for a fifth year of eligibility, including a number of players in your league, that will benefit schools and teams in this conference if they're able to play. How do you as a league commissioner approach the balance of supporting your league members as they pursue these players, but also championing a legislative bill that would prevent things like this from happening in the future?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: That's a great question.

I will tell you we as a conference support the NCAA age-based eligibility model. We vote in favor of it.

That being said, I respect the decision-making of student-athletes. I respect the decisions of local courts, as well.

But there is a balancing act there, for sure.

Thank you. Very good question.

Q. Another one on the PCSA topic. There's a lot of talk about lawmakers and courts working with a lot of outside entities that aren't always in the sports conversation when it comes to college sports. How much has the discussion included student-athletes? A lot of student-athletes have been getting together around the country. Many boards coming together. How much input are student-athletes really having in these discussions? Why aren't they at the forefront?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: First of all, that's a great question. Huge advocate of the student-athlete voice.

I can tell you I sit on four of the committees, the President's Commission on College Athletics. There has been great representation by student-athletes on all those committees. They've had a voice.

We had a call most recently two weeks ago where, again, there were numerous student-athletes.

From where I sit, from the engagement I've had, especially as it relates to the PCSA, there has been a student-athlete voice, and we welcome it.

Thank you for your question.

Q. The ban on professionals that you announced in August seemed a little broader than some of the other conferences. I was curious when it comes to basketball players specifically how that's defined, especially if they played in EuroLeague or whatever? Are you planning to define it the same way the NCAA does as far as if a player is eligible?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: I'll speak to it. I'll let Brian Thornton, our head of basketball, also speak to it.

The NCAA manages the pre-enrollment rules. The rule we passed was post-enrollment as it relates to a professional athlete coming back into college athletics. I don't think it's broader than any other conference.

But Brian, if you want to speak to that, go ahead.

BRIAN THORNTON: Certainly to reiterate what Brett said, at the end of the day we allow the NCAA to dictate the pre-enrollment space. Obviously there's certainly a lot of continued conversation about how that will look in the future as the professional model continues to blend with the collegiate model.

But we allow the NCAA to handle that.

From our standpoint, we feel we've been pretty straightforward in terms of not having student-athletes that have played professionally or have signed professional contracts once they have been part of the collegiate space participate this year.

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: Hopefully that helps. Thank you.

Q. Everything seems to be going really well for the Big 12. I want to know what is your 3 AM? What is keeping you up at night?

COMMISSIONER YORMARK: Listen, my job is to make everyone feel good about the Big 12, like you just stated (smiling).

Behind the scenes, listen, it's a grind like any other business. It really is. Everything keeps me up at night.

As I said in my opening comments, I'm happy but never satisfied. I want more. I want to compete, continue to compete at the highest levels. I want more for Olympic sports. I want guardrails when you think about a sustainable model for college athletics. I want great rules and enforcement.

There's a lot that keeps me up at night. But generally speaking, I like the trajectory of the conference. I love where we're going. I love the investments our schools are making across the board.

I've said it before, I'll continue to say it, I don't think there's a better time to be part of the Big 12 than right now. We have an incredible runway ahead of us. Love the cohesion amongst the 16. Obviously over the last four years we've added eight new members. Takes time for everyone to gel, to be integrated.

I think we're in a great place right now. The phase in which we're in right now is all about growth. We're doubling down on growth. That's critically important. Growth means we're going to afford our member institutions with the resources they need to compete at the highest levels.

If there was one thing that does keep me up at night is how do I better resource our institutions so they can compete at the highest levels nationally.

But generally speaking, I like where we are.

Have a great day. Thank you so much for being here.