The Big 12 commissioner, Brett Yormark, emphasized during a recent exit interview that the conference is open for business. He stated that they are more open now than ever before. Despite this, when asked about actively pursuing expansion, Yormark denied it. However, the league has added new members in the past after similar statements.
The PAC 12 currently faces an uncertain future with its two existing members, Oregon State and Washington State, forming an alliance with the Mountain West. While the Big 12 could potentially consider scooping them up, it is seen as unlikely. Instead, Yormark may be more inclined to pursue schools from the ACC, which is viewed as the weakest of the Power Four conferences due to its TV deal with ESPN lasting until 2036.
While the Big 12 is not actively seeking new members at the moment, talks of expansion typically gain momentum in the summer months after the conclusion of baseball and softball seasons. As discussions continue and as the summer progresses, the possibility of adding schools from other conferences remains open and Yormark may shift his focus towards pursuing them.
In summary, while there is no active pursuit of expansion by Big 12 at present time but talks about it usually happen in summer months after baseball and softball season ends and there’s always a possibility of adding schools from other conferences as landscape evolves in college sports.
