It’s been almost exactly a year since the reports surfaced that the Big 12 was on the cusp of adding Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State.
Now, on August 2, 2024, it’s become official as the Buffaloes, Utes, Wildcats, and Sun Devils were welcomed into the league just after midnight this morning.
The four newest additions to the league will shift the Big 12’s footprint further west than it’s ever been. Brett Yormark’s expansion-minded business structure has not only kept the league afloat under his watch but made it the third-best conference in the country immediately after losing its two biggest brands.
“The [addition of] the Four Corners was the A-scenario for us when we thought about realignment,” Yormark said at Big 12 Media Days. “Big brands, great markets, engaged fanbases, both academic excellence and athletic excellence. As I said earlier, we got deeper and better in football. We got deeper and better at basketball. We got deeper and better in Olympic sports.”
This marks the second consecutive season that the Big 12 is welcoming four new members, as BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF joined the league in 2023, making half of the league’s membership brand new to the conference.
Thanks to Yormark’s incredible work, the Big 12 appears to be set up for long-term success with its expanded membership.
