It’s here, folks. It’s time for Big 12 Football Media Days. It’s the only place where you can talk to every head coach in the Big 12 in the same building, and it’s one of the few times Brett Yormark speaks to the media. It also means that the season is right around the corner, which is why I always call it the unofficial start of college football.
This year, Big 12 Media Days will be a little different. It’s not at AT&T Stadium in Arlington (which is still head-scratching) but will instead be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Las Vegas. In fact, I take at least one trip there every year, but there’s nothing like starting the year inside AT&T Stadium and having the Big 12 season end there as well in December. I think that is what makes Jerry World so unique.
With that said, I mean no disrespect to the city of Las Vegas. Vegas is well, Vegas and it is known for many things. There’s Fremont Street, where you can walk along and see all the craziness, or you can hang out on the strip and see all the popular casinos. But I never forget about that classic saying: What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.
While that can be true for certain things, that will not be the case at Big 12 Media Days. When conference commissioner Brett Yormark takes the podium on Tuesday, he will be bombarded with the one thing everyone loves to talk about, which, of course, is conference realignment.
It seems that over the last few years, that is all anyone wants to talk about. I can still remember the first media days with Brett Yormark, and his response was that the “Big 12 is open for business.”
This was before the Big 12 added four more schools last year: Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State. Now, the conference is in a similar position this year because the ACC is hanging on by a thread. Clemson and Florida State currently have five active lawsuits with the ACC, and that relationship isn’t getting any better. Those two schools will eventually find their way out, and when that happens, all hell will break loose — again.
I’m sure the SEC and the Big Ten will get their pick of the litter, but the Big 12 shouldn’t be too far behind. Remember, this isn’t the old Big 12 that sits back and waits for everything to happen. This is the new Big 12, where Brett Yormark makes things happen.
Yormark has been aggressive ever since he stepped foot in his office. And so far, it’s worked out pretty well for the Big 12. He got a TV deal before the Pac-12, and when the Pac-12 crumbled, he was there to pick up some of the pieces.
While Brett Yormark may not directly say what the Big 12 is going to do, don’t forget about what he first told us.
The Big 12 is open for business, and that means anything is on the table.
