Next Big 12 Commissioner? - Brett Yormark (Roc Nation)

[HFCS]

Who knows if it'll work, but the lack of experience in a college landscape that's been flipped upside down isn't as big of a deal as it would've been previously. Could potentially be a positive.

Plus, the Big 12 will be viewed as an underdog in the Power 5 once Texas and Oklahoma leave. You can't play things straight up when competing against those with power. Football analogy: Run the Air Raid while the elites run out of the I Formation.

I'd argue the less experience with the academic world the better. Individual schools can handle that aspect and succeed or fail on their own.

College sports is more about pro contracts than pro sports now. It's like if every MLB, NHL, NBA and NFL player was on a one year contract. Complete wild west.

 

[HFCS]

We’re either gonna be trendsetters or following this guy off a cliff.

Larry Scott was viewed as some brilliant genius coming in and the results he got in reality were horrible.

His greatest achievements were hallow boasts of absolute nothingness and he left his league in terrible shape compared to when he came in. Geography alone saved the guy after coming in with so much hype and claiming he was going to take 1/3 of the Big 12.

 

[HFCS]

There is always a couple concerns when I deal with people like this (“big connections people”):

1) They think that an idea will succeed solely because it is their idea and only backed up by their previous ideas that have succeeded rather than the actual outlook/analyzation of the current idea. Which I think is great in private business, but is dangerous in this kind of role (see Pac 12).

2) they are poor/unwilling administrators.

Note: I don’t really give a **** who the Big 12 commissioner is. They are just passengers at this point.

best idea vs my idea

I love when i've worked under "best idea" people. I've learned to run for the hills when people in charge are "my idea" people even though you can succeed individually by presenting ideas as "their idea", eventually it dooms things that one person feels a need to bottleneck all creativity individually.

With every college player now playing on a one year professional contract the "best idea" people are going to be mostly from the world of entertainment, endorsements/licensing and professional sports contracts. There are probably a few AD administrative types who could be great in the new world, but I'm guessing most would be a poor choice.

I kind of agree with your last note...but I do think there could potentially be a way for a Big 12 commissioner to speed up the transition to REAL EYEBALLS THAT ACTUALLY PAY SPECIFICALLY TO WATCH COLLEGE FOOTBALL rather than cable tv markets. That would cement the new Big 12 as clearly the #3 conference for profitability. If it's about TV markets combined with that we're flirting with 5th, if it's just actual interest and actual real eyes the league is still 3rd. In terms of actual on the field quality new league is #1 in basketball and probably would go up and down from #3 to #5 in football but currently still #3 since Pac and ACC have been so terrible.

 

[intrepid27]

As someone who is involved in the hiring process almost daily I'm a little puzzled that the Big XII would leak this info if it is not a done deal yet. Are they trying to gauge public acceptance before pulling trigger?

 

[HFCS]

“What’s his name again?” one Big 12 athletic director asked Sports Illustrated. “Does he know anything about our business?”

These ADs should all be evaluating the areas where they themselves no longer understand the business because the business just became professional sports.

How does his professional sports resume compare to our previous few commissioner hires? At first glance it seems like he has quite a bit more pro sports experience and at least as much experience with TV deals.

 

[CascadeClone]

I have a group text with some buddies from college and one guy's initially reaction was "we're the Mike Leach of conferences", and he meant it in a good way. I think the league needs to lean into that idea.

It's a brand. Sell the chaos. Sell the madness. Sell the PARITY, which is something the SEC and B1G don't have.

Who's gonna win the B1G this year? Ohio St, maybe Michigan.
Who's gonna win the SEC this year? Bama again, but maybe Georgia.
Who's gonna win the Big12? **** if I know, there's about 6 different teams with a shot!

 

[Cyrealist]

It's a brand. Sell the chaos. Sell the madness. Sell the PARITY, which is something the SEC and B1G don't have.

Who's gonna win the B1G this year? Ohio St, maybe Michigan.
Who's gonna win the SEC this year? Bama again, but maybe Georgia.
Who's gonna win the Big12? **** if I know, there's about 6 different teams with a shot!

Exactly. Brand identity and marketing are what the new Big XII needs. This guy should be able to provide it. The potential pitfall is he'll have to get up to speed on the nuts and bolts of conference administration.

 

[Rogue52]

This could be a home run hire, but be careful not to turn into a fan boy.

 

[cyputz]

Seeks like a nice background after a short run (2019) with J Zee

Prior to Roc Nation, Yormark spent 14 years as CEO of BSE Global, which manages and controls Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Nets’ NBA G League team, the Long Island Nets. During his tenure, he also expanded BSE’s venue footprint by leading the renovation, reopening and subsequent operation of NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, and Manhattan’s iconic Webster Hall. While at BSE Global, Yormark had oversight for all facets of Barclays Center and NYCB LIVE, including operations, event programming, sales, and marketing.

 

[t-noah]

Is he loyal? Is he honest? Is he intelligent? Experienced? Does he have charisma? Strong work ethic?

Sounds like he might have the last 4 here. What do you guys think about the first 2?

 

[JM4CY]

Exactly. Brand identity and marketing are what the new Big XII needs. This guy should be able to provide it. The potential pitfall is he'll have to get up to speed on the nuts and bolts of conference administration.

The kind of hire that makes it super important who’s on his team surrounding him.

 

[Hoggins]

Is he loyal? Is he honest? Is he intelligent? Experienced? Does he have charisma? Strong work ethic?

Sounds like he might have the last 4 here. What do you guys think about the first 2?

He can be the worse person on the planet as long as he gets a great TV deal for the league

 

[AuH2O]

A conventional college AD caretaker type commissioner is going to fail. Big 12, ACC and PAC are all in bad spots. Even a great commissioner using conventional thought isn’t going to save these conferences. They are going to need big ideas that come through.

 

[AuH2O]

I'd argue the less experience with the academic world the better. Individual schools can handle that aspect and succeed or fail on their own.

College sports is more about pro contracts than pro sports now. It's like if every MLB, NHL, NBA and NFL player was on a one year contract. Complete wild west.

Yep, this is not an academic job in the least. This is and has to be a sports media job first and foremost. If you don’t absolutely nail that part of the job nothing else matters.

 

[Cloneon]

Larry Scott was viewed as some brilliant genius coming in and the results he got in reality were horrible.

His greatest achievements were hallow boasts of absolute nothingness and he left his league in terrible shape compared to when he came in. Geography alone saved the guy after coming in with so much hype and claiming he was going to take 1/3 of the Big 12.

Knowing someone within the Pac12 office, it was much worse than what the public understood. The guy had his own agenda and, to me, none of it made sense. He was all 'glitter'. Right down to moving the Pac12 offices from Walnut Creek into the city to facilitate a glitzier image no matter the cost.

 

[Cloneon]

best idea vs my idea

I love when i've worked under "best idea" people. I've learned to run for the hills when people in charge are "my idea" people even though you can succeed individually by presenting ideas as "their idea", eventually it dooms things that one person feels a need to bottleneck all creativity individually.

With every college player now playing on a one year professional contract the "best idea" people are going to be mostly from the world of entertainment, endorsements/licensing and professional sports contracts. There are probably a few AD administrative types who could be great in the new world, but I'm guessing most would be a poor choice.

I kind of agree with your last note...but I do think there could potentially be a way for a Big 12 commissioner to speed up the transition to REAL EYEBALLS THAT ACTUALLY PAY SPECIFICALLY TO WATCH COLLEGE FOOTBALL rather than cable tv markets. That would cement the new Big 12 as clearly the #3 conference for profitability. If it's about TV markets combined with that we're flirting with 5th, if it's just actual interest and actual real eyes the league is still 3rd. In terms of actual on the field quality new league is #1 in basketball and probably would go up and down from #3 to #5 in football but currently still #3 since Pac and ACC have been so terrible.

It's truly amazing how many occupations out there are nothing but the 'art of talk'. Give me a doer anytime. Too many yappers.

 

[cykadelic2]

Yep, this is not an academic job in the least. This is and has to be a sports media job first and foremost. If you don’t absolutely nail that part of the job nothing else matters.

#1 priority, by far, for a P5 Commish is to max out payouts for the FB contract and manage memberships in the process of doing so. For this go around of TV deals, if Kliavkoff, the new B12 commish and R8 ADs don't do serious due diligence on FB inventory aggregation as an avenue to max out payouts as well as not having any aversion to placing the vast majority of inventory on streaming platforms, it would be malpractice on the part of all of them.

 

[CascadeClone]

It's truly amazing how many occupations out there are nothing but the 'art of talk'. Give me a doer anytime. Too many yappers.

I used to work for a major corporation, and the number of guys on the "fast track" who really didn't accomplish anything except get themselves promoted again was stunning. It was kind of company policy too, just move the hi-pots from department to department, but never really enough time to fix or improve anything. Some of them were smart and some were not, but it was still a joke. Don't miss it.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[Cyclonepride]

Sounds like this hire is now official per Jon Rothstein (forgot to copy the tweet)