Brett Yormark to leave the Big 12 Conference

SALT LAKE CITY — Big 12 Conference Commissioner Brett Yormark is leaving the league.

The bold Commissioner who took over in 2022, amid an influx of college athletics, will leave after January 31, 2027.

Big 12 Board of Directors will begin a national search for his successor immediately.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark to leave after January 31, 2027

“Serving as the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference has been an extraordinary honor,” said Yormark in a written statement. “I want to thank the Big 12 Board of Directors, Board Chair Douglas A. Girod, athletic directors, coaches, student-athletes, fans, fellow commissioners, and trusted colleagues at the league office. 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.”

Some of the key accomplishments during Yormark’s time as Commissioner include taking the Big 12 early to market to land a new media rights deal with ESPN and FOX.

That decision to go early then set the stage for the Big 12 to be able to land the “Four Corner” schools in conference realignment in Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah.

“Speaking on behalf of all of the Big 12 Presidents, we thank Brett for shepherding this great conference through an extraordinary period in college athletics,” said University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, Chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors. “When Brett arrived, we were at a crossroads in the Big 12 and as a college sports enterprise. Brett’s vision, business acumen, and confidence put us on the path we find ourselves on today. He leveraged traditional and non-traditional avenues in the college space, solidifying the Big 12 Conference’s future. We are appreciative of his leadership, wish he and his family well, and look forward to building upon the strong foundation he helped put in place.”

Along with realignment and media rights, he expanded the Big 12’s commercial profile by landing deals with Monster Energy drinks, Venmo, and Edward Jones.

All of this movement allowed for the Big 12 to experience stability, something that didn’t appear to be in the cards for a league that had lost Texas and Oklahoma at the time of his arrival.

“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.”

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

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