Big 12 Media Days 2024: 5 conference realignment questions fans can expect at Las Vegas event
The Big 12 Media Days kick off on Tuesday in Las Vegas, and one of the biggest topics will be conference realignment. With the conference continuing its expansion, it is certainly going to be asked of Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark as well as the attending coaches and players alike.
Let's take a deeper dive into potential questions that we may hear today as the Big 12 Media Days begin. It can give everyone a sense of direction for the future of the conference.
Big 12 Media Days questions about conference realignment
#1 Will the Big 12 consider more conference realignment in the future?
This will be the key question in terms of conference realignment, as it will give fans a chance to understand if the conference is content with all the moves it has made in the last two seasons. The Big 12 will have added eight programs while losing two in 2024, so there could be a sense of waiting for a while.
However, a lot of things might depend on the results of the Atlantic Coast Conference lawsuits as well. It will be interesting to see how they go about discussing this.
#2 Would more conference realignment result in an additional conference game each season?
As seen in other conferences, additional conference games are being added due to the increased number of member schools. The Big 12 has not changed its number of non-conference games, so this would certainly be something worth noting. It would also give fans an indication of what they should expect in the future as a result.
#3 Are all Big 12 members in agreement about the future of the conference?
Conference realignment meant a lot of positive changes happening, but there was one massive negative for the current members as well. Their share of the media rights deal will decrease as more schools continue to be added. It can increase in the next media rights deal, but for the short term, it will make teams less than thrilled.
The conference needs to be a united front to remain successful, so the thought that they all have the same goal is critical.
#4 Is the conference afraid of oversaturation?
The most likely response to this will be no, but the Big 12 has seen the most changes out of any power conference in terms of additions. The conference has eight schools that are now members and were not associated with the league in 2022. That amount of change in a short period could lead to oversaturation.
This is something that might be a strategy, as getting into more areas expands the visibility of the Big 12 as well.
#5 What schools would the conference be interested in adding?
While this question might not result in an exact answer, it can give fans a better understanding of the next steps for Brett Yormark. Is the focus on growing other sports like basketball or expanding the Big 12 into different markets or areas?
It seems Brett Yormack will have his hands full as the media days roll on tomorrow as well.