Brett Yormark Stepping Down as Big 12 Commissioner, Search for Replacement Underway

In a somewhat surprising development, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark will be exiting the conference. Yormark made the decision to leave the Big 12 and college sports in general in the near future, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel and then confirmed by the conference in a press release.

Yormark will take new position outside of college sports, but stay with the conference through January, 2027.

A national search for his successor will begin immediately, and will be spearheaded by the Big 12 Board of Directors.

“Serving as the commissioner of the Big 12 Conference has been an extraordinary honor,” said Yormark. “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.”

The fifth commissioner in the history of the Big 12 Conference, Yormark’s tenure is one of the most consequential periods since the league was formed 32 years ago.

“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.”

Yormark guided the league to unprecedented stability, success, and growth during his tenure, overseeing the integration of eight new conference members, while expanding into new markets around the country. He also bolstered the commercial, brand, and national relevance of the league. Yormark also served as a trusted voice throughout many key national conversations around the implementation of the House settlement; the creation of the College Sports Commission; the Protect College Sports Act; and the expansion of the College Football Playoff.

“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.”

Yormark took over the Big 12’s commissioner role in 2012, coming over after time with the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. He helped guide the conference during a transition period, watching mainstays like Oklahoma and Texas jump ship and adding the likes of BYU, Utah, Colorado, Houston, Cincinnati among others.

Some of this story originated as a Big 12 press release.