Big 12 Conference

Big 12 Conference
Name	Big 12 Conference
Founded	1994
Association	NCAA
Division	Division I
Subdivision	Football Bowl Subdivision
Teams	14
Region	United States (Midwest, South, Southwest)
Headquarters	Irving, Texas
Commissioner	Brett Yormark

Big 12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference in the United States whose member institutions field teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision College Football Playoff. The conference's membership spans states including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, West Virginia, Missouri, Colorado, and Arizona, and its programs compete in sports governed by organizations such as the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the College Football Playoff National Championship, and the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Member institutions have sent athletes to professional leagues including the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball.

History

The conference was created in 1994 after negotiations involving the Southwest Conference, the Big Eight Conference, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Oklahoma, and administrative figures from institutions such as Texas A&M University and Baylor University. Early realignment included departures and additions involving universities like Texas Christian University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Missouri, and Pennsylvania State University (related to broader Division I reshuffling). The 2010s saw major changes influenced by media contracts with networks such as Fox Sports, ESPN, and CBS Sports, prompting membership moves to conferences including the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference. Recent expansion and realignment episodes involved negotiations with Brigham Young University, Southern Methodist University, Clemson University, and Arizona State University, and were shaped by commissioners, university presidents, and legal arrangements following precedents set by institutions like Notre Dame and University of Miami (Florida).

Member Schools

Current member institutions include flagship public universities and private research universities such as University of Texas at Austin, University of Oklahoma, Clemson University (note: hypothetical inclusion in past proposals), West Virginia University, University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Iowa State University, University of Missouri, Texas Tech University, Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, University of Colorado Boulder, Texas Christian University, and Arizona State University (reflecting recent expansion waves and partnership agreements). Affiliated institutions have historically included University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Colorado Boulder (as a former member), University of Missouri (as a returnee in various scenarios), and private universities such as Southern Methodist University and Brigham Young University in expansion discussions. Member institutions participate in multisport competition and maintain academic relationships with organizations like the Association of American Universities and accreditation bodies such as the Higher Learning Commission.

Athletic Programs and Championships

Athletic departments field programs in marquee sports including college football, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, wrestling, and soccer. Conference championships determine automatic qualifiers for national events such as the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament and bowl games tied to the College Football Playoff system like the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Rose Bowl (through contractual arrangements). Programs have produced award winners of honors such as the Heisman Trophy, the Naismith College Player of the Year, the Johnny Bench Award, and the Wade Trophy, and have developed professional athletes who entered the NFL Draft, the NBA Draft, and the MLB Draft. Coaching figures have included leaders comparable to Bob Stoops, Mike Gundy, Bill Self, and Scott Drew in conference history, and student-athletes have achieved recognition from organizations such as the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Media Rights and Broadcasts

Media rights deals have been pivotal, involving agreements with broadcasters and digital platforms such as Fox Sports, ESPN, ABC, CBS Sports Network, and streaming services like ESPN+ and Bally Sports in various cycles. Television contracts influenced conference revenue distribution models observed in comparisons with the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference, and negotiations featured sports media executives and firms such as WME IMG and Comcast. Broadcast packages cover regular-season football, basketball tournaments, and conference championship events, and sublicensing arrangements have involved regional sports networks tied to markets like Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex and Kansas City metropolitan area.

Governance and Administration

The conference is governed by a structure including a commissioner, an office of presidents and chancellors from member universities, and committees for athletics, compliance, and championships; notable administrative subjects include the roles of commissioners like Dan Beebe, Sandy Barbour (in university contexts), and current leadership models exemplified by executives from Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference administrations. Governance intersects with compliance frameworks from the NCAA Division I Council, collective bargaining matters involving the National Collegiate Athletic Association Board of Governors, and academic oversight linked to organizations such as the American Association of University Professors. Financial administration includes revenue distribution, student-athlete support programs, and legal counsel informed by precedent from institutions such as University of Texas System and University of Oklahoma Board of Regents.

Rivalries and Traditions

Historic rivalries involve matchups analogous to Red River Showdown (Oklahoma vs. Texas), Border War (Kansas vs. Missouri in historical context), and intrastate contests such as Texas–TCU and Oklahoma State–Oklahoma; rivalry traditions feature trophy games, marching band contests akin to Marching Band of the University of Texas, and homecoming events comparable to practices at Kansas State University and Iowa State University. Tailgating cultures draw from regional customs in markets like Austin, Texas, Norman, Oklahoma, Manhattan, Kansas, and Ames, Iowa, and postseason traditions include participation in bowl games such as the Cotton Bowl and tournaments such as the Big 12 men's basketball tournament in venues like Kansas City's T-Mobile Center and citywide festivals.

Facilities and Venues

Member institutions host facilities including major football stadia like Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, and Memorial Stadium (Lincoln), basketball arenas such as Allen Fieldhouse, Bramlage Coliseum, and T-Mobile Center, and auxiliary complexes for training, academics, and sports medicine influenced by models at Coulter Field, Oklahoma State University Athletic Center, and university medical partnerships with institutions like Baylor Scott & White Health. Venues host conference championships, NCAA regionals, and professional exhibitions, and are often situated in metropolitan regions served by airports such as Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Category:College athletic conferences in the United States