Yormark’s Expansion Target List

Leaked straight from the desk of the Big 12 Commissioner

By JennaP23@jenp108 Jul 28, 2023, 9:00am CDT

Adding four teams in 2023 seems to be just the beginning for Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, Since taking charge last August, Yormark has been aggressive in expanding the conference by adding four new schools and securing a new media rights agreement.

Big 12 will add b/w 1 & 3 schools to join Colorado in 2024, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. League will 1st seek others from Pac-12 to join. If none do so, Big 12 would add 1 Group of 5 (UConn, Memphis, SDSU or UNLV) to reach even number of teams in 2024https://t.co/j31J8IUMQN pic.twitter.com/rXcumkWoqn
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 27, 2023

Commissioner Yormark doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Take a look at this leaked list of his top priority targets as he continues to expand the Big 12.

1. Colorado

A founding member of the original Big 12, it’s only right we bring Colorado back home. A nice geographic location close to BYU, the Buffs will be a welcome addition. Coach Prime Time is officially the swaggiest eight-toed coach in the conference.

2. Most (if not all) of the Pac-12

As the Pac-12 crumbles apart, the Big 12 should be able to grab a few more schools from the Pac-12. Now it’s only a matter of which ones we actually want. . .

3. Odessa Permian 1989

Texas football teams are the backbone of the Big 12, so adding the best of Texas high school football teams is the logical next step. Odessa Permian is a great addition geographically, and they will only add to the football strength of the conference.

4. G League Ignite

G League Ignite is a premier team for NBA Prospects. It only makes sense to bring this high-level competition to the best basketball conference in the nation. By adding the G League Ignite to the Big 12, NBA teams will have a one-stop shop for young talent and skill.

NBA: G League-Winter Showcase-G League Ignite at Greensboro Swarm

5. The Warehouse Team from The Office

In the same thought, why not bring in a more veteran squad? Led by consistent big Darryl Philbin, the team would be another great basketball addition to the conference.

6. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

July is slow for college athletics, so adding a BIG July athletic event is a great way to capitalize on some underutilized calendar days. Joey Chestnut will earn Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year by 2030, guaranteed.

7. Saint Louis

Saint Louis University would be another great private school to add to the mix. Their mascot, the Billikens, would quickly become a conference favorite, and the geographical location provides another option a bit closer to West Virginia.

NCAA Basketball: Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Semifinals-Saint Louis vs Virginia Commonwealth

8. Inter Miami FC

Lionel Messi brought some serious star power to Inter Miami, and men’s soccer is an untapped market for the Big 12. Yet another sport in which the Big 12 can be the best conference.

MLS: Leagues Cup-Atlanta United FC at Inter Miami CF

9. Harvard Law School

The academic prestige of Harvard Law would help bring up the academic profile of the Big 12, especially since it will take a dive after adding some Pac-12 schools. While Harvard undergraduate has nothing to offer us, adding Harvard Law ups the intelligence of the conference while taking the Big 12 one step closer to achieving Manifest Destiny and stretching from sea to shining sea.

10. Pluto

If NASA doesn’t want to claim Pluto, the Big 12 will gladly take it. The conference could pioneer college athletics in our solar system. Being the first conference to leave Earth is the kind of forward thinking we’ve come to expect from the Commissioner.