Big 12
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| Big 12 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Big 12 |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Sport | College athletics |
| Member count | 10 |
| Headquarters | Irving, Texas |
| Commissioner | Brett Yormark |
Big 12 The Big 12 is a collegiate athletic conference operating in the United States that organizes competition among member institutions primarily located in the Midwest, South Central, and Mountain West regions. It sponsors championships in multiple sports, fields teams that compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, and negotiates media rights and postseason arrangements with national broadcasters and bowl organizations. Member schools have produced athletes and programs noted in events such as the College Football Playoff, NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, and the National Invitation Tournament.
History
The conference was formed in the aftermath of realignment involving the Southwest Conference and the Big Eight Conference, with charter institutions drawn from universities including those formerly in the Southwest and Big Eight lineages. Early leadership engaged with television partners like ESPN, ABC Sports, and Fox Sports to establish a national footprint. Expansion and contraction episodes involved negotiations with institutions such as University of Missouri, Texas A&M University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and Texas Christian University that later pursued membership in other conferences including the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference. Subsequent realignment cycles in the 2010s and 2020s saw additions and departures involving schools like Baylor University, University of Cincinnati, University of Central Florida, Brigham Young University, and University of Oklahoma, reflecting shifting alliances driven by media markets, competitive balance, and institutional strategy.
Member Institutions
Current membership comprises public and private institutions historically associated with conferences such as the Southwest Conference, Big Eight Conference, and Western Athletic Conference. Member campuses include large research universities and comprehensive universities located in metropolitan areas such as Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Kansas City metropolitan area, Oklahoma City metropolitan area, and Austin, Texas. Notable member institutions have histories tied to conferences like Missouri Valley Conference and Conference USA before their present affiliations. Members maintain student-athlete pipelines to professional leagues including the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and international competitions like the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Athletic Programs and Championships
The conference sponsors championships in men's and women's sports, including football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and track and field, with postseason tournaments that feed into national events such as the College World Series and the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. Football programs compete for conference titles and automatic bids or placements in postseason bowls like the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and at-large placement in the College Football Playoff. Men's basketball programs have advanced to the Final Four and claimed seeding in the NCAA Tournament; baseball teams have appeared in the Men's College World Series, and softball programs have reached the Women's College World Series.
Media Rights and Revenue
Broadcasting and media rights negotiations have involved major networks and streaming platforms including ESPN, ABC, Fox Sports, CBS Sports Network, and newer partners in the streaming space. Revenue distribution among member institutions is tied to contracts with broadcasters and postseason performance in events such as the College Football Playoff and the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Media deals have driven conference strategy in expansion and scheduling, with television markets like Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Houston metropolitan area, Denver metropolitan area, and Kansas City metropolitan area being central to valuation. Conference television packages historically included rights to marquee events such as the Red River Showdown and other high-profile matchups that command national audiences.
Governance and Administration
The conference is governed by a commissioner and an executive office supported by athletic directors and presidents from member institutions, drawing procedural precedent from entities like the NCAA and regional governance models used by the Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference. Committees oversee areas such as championship administration, officiating, compliance, and academic standards, interacting with organizations including the Knight Commission and the College Football Playoff Board of Managers on policy matters. Compliance departments within member institutions coordinate with national regulatory structures around amateurism, eligibility, and transfer rules administered at the national level.
Rivalries and Cultural Impact
Longstanding rivalries among member schools have manifested in annually scheduled games and regional traditions such as matchups held at neutral-site venues including the Cotton Bowl Stadium and campus stadiums in cities like Austin, Texas and Lawrence, Kansas. Rivalries have produced legendary coaches and athletes whose careers intersect with events like the Heisman Trophy ceremony, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and professional drafts like the NFL Draft. The conference has influenced collegiate athletics culture, alumni engagement, and local economies through game-day tourism in municipalities including Waco, Texas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Manhattan, Kansas, and Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Facilities and Locations
Member institutions host facilities ranging from major football stadiums and basketball arenas to baseball complexes and softball stadiums that meet standards for national competition, with venues influenced by projects similar to renovations at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, upgrades comparable to Allen Fieldhouse and expansions echoing work at Kardinal-Smith Stadium. Facilities serve as recruiting assets and community landmarks, often located on campuses with proximity to metropolitan centers such as Oklahoma City metropolitan area, San Antonio metropolitan area, and Houston metropolitan area. The conference office is headquartered in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, coordinating scheduling, officiating assignments, and championship logistics.
Category:College athletic conferences in the United States