Big 12 Conference

Big 12 Conference is a prominent NCAA Division I athletic conference, competing at the highest level of collegiate sports in the United States. It is headquartered in Irving, Texas, and is one of the Power Five conferences within the Football Bowl Subdivision. The league is renowned for its competitive balance across a wide array of sports, particularly in college football and college basketball.

History

The conference was officially formed in 1994 through the merger of the historic Big Eight Conference and four prominent institutions from the Southwest Conference: the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, and Texas Tech University. This realignment, driven by shifting television markets and revenue potentials, created a powerful new league centered in the nation's heartland. The early 2000s saw significant success, with members like the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at Austin competing for national championships in football, while the University of Kansas emerged as a perennial powerhouse in men's basketball. A period of instability began in 2010 with the departure of the University of Colorado and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to the Big Ten Conference and Pac-12 Conference, respectively, followed by the exit of the University of Missouri and Texas A&M University to the Southeastern Conference. The league stabilized by adding Texas Christian University and West Virginia University, and later welcomed Brigham Young University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Houston in 2023, further expanding its geographic and competitive footprint.

Member schools

The conference currently comprises sixteen member institutions, a mix of long-standing flagship universities and major urban research centers. The full membership includes Baylor University, Brigham Young University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Houston, the Iowa State University, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the Oklahoma State University, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, the University of Central Florida, and West Virginia University. Notably, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at Austin are scheduled to depart for the Southeastern Conference in 2024, while the conference will concurrently welcome four new members from the Pac-12 Conference: the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of Utah.

Sports sponsored

The conference sponsors championship competition in 23 sports, 12 for women and 11 for men. Prominent men's sports include football, basketball, baseball, cross country, and track and field. Key women's sports offerings are basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, gymnastics, and track and field. The league does not sponsor ice hockey, men's soccer, or men's volleyball, though individual members may compete in those sports within other conferences. The NCAA Division I championships in sports like wrestling and equestrian also feature strong representation from member schools.

Conference championships

The conference has a storied history in national competition, claiming numerous NCAA team national championships. The University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas at Austin have won multiple national titles in college football, while the University of Kansas and Baylor University have claimed crowns in men's basketball. The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University are perennial powers in wrestling and men's golf. In women's sports, Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin have won national championships in basketball, and the University of Oklahoma dominates in softball and women's gymnastics. The conference also consistently produces individual champions and All-America selections across its sponsored sports.

Governance and leadership

The conference is governed by a board of directors composed of the chancellor or president of each member institution. The board sets strategic policy and oversees the conference's financial and administrative operations. Day-to-day leadership is provided by the commissioner, a position held since 2022 by Brett Yormark, formerly of Roc Nation and Jay-Z's business ventures. The commissioner's office, located in Irving, Texas, manages all conference operations, including championship events, officiating, compliance, and public relations. Key committees composed of athletic directors and senior woman administrators handle specific sport oversight and legislative matters within the framework of NCAA rules.

Media rights and revenue

The conference's primary media rights are held by ESPN and Fox Sports, with its marquee football and basketball games broadcast on networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN2, and FS1. A significant portion of its basketball inventory is also carried on ESPN+. The conference's revenue distribution, derived from television contracts, College Football Playoff payouts, and NCAA basketball tournament units, places it among the top leagues nationally. The formation of the Alliance with the Big Ten Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference was a strategic move to shape the future collegiate landscape. The upcoming media rights deal negotiated by Brett Yormark is anticipated to further increase revenue as the conference expands its membership and geographic reach. Category:Big 12 Conference Category:NCAA Division I conferences Category:College athletic conferences in the United States Category:Sports organizations established in 1994