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

cyIclSoneU

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2016
3,300
4,562
113
Interesting. Obviously we all wanted something outside the box and this could end up amazingly successful or horrendously terrible. Probably not a lot of in between.

Agreed. This is a high ceiling, low floor kind of risky move. But honestly that’s what the Big 12 needs to do right now. They could have hired some 60 year old who has been in the Big Ten front office since the 80s and played it safe. But they need to nail the marketing, branding, and media rights deals and that will require a fresh approach and an awareness of the landscape in the 2020s and beyond
 

JM4CY

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 23, 2012
37,825
74,462
113
America
We’re either gonna be trendsetters or following this guy off a cliff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigJCy

Cloneon

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2015
2,987
3,110
113
West Virginia
I would have preferred a VP from YouTube, Prime Video or Apple TV. But this has me cautiously optimistic
While that may sound preferable, with only one of those credentials he's already behind the 8 ball in 'competitive' negotiation. "Hey Apple, I know I worked for Amazon Prime, but would you be willing to consider a contract with the B12?". I'd rather be targeting someone who is the high end of what all those entities were shopping. So, cautiously, I like their target. Pessimistically, however, the P12 made an 'outside-the-box' hire and got slammed. So, we'll have to see.
 

CoachHines3

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Oct 29, 2019
9,565
19,520
113
While that may sound preferable, with only one of those credentials he's already behind the 8 ball in 'competitive' negotiation. "Hey Apple, I know I worked for Amazon Prime, but would you be willing to consider a contract with the B12?". I'd rather be targeting someone who is the high end of what all those entities were shopping. So, cautiously, I like their target. Pessimistically, however, the P12 made an 'outside-the-box' hire and got slammed. So, we'll have to see.

Pac 12 guy had no sports background whatsoever, if I remember correctly. Could be wrong.

I thought he was a big shot in the Vegas scene.
 

Cloneon

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2015
2,987
3,110
113
West Virginia
Pac 12 guy had no sports background whatsoever, if I remember correctly. Could be wrong.

I thought he was a big shot in the Vegas scene.
Not their most current hire. Larry Scott. Who I believe was in world tennis, but WOWed the Pac12 reps before his hire with all kinds of 'supposedly' cool ideas. But, from that hire they slipped to the bottom of the P5. We will see.
 

CoachHines3

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Oct 29, 2019
9,565
19,520
113
Not their most current hire. Larry Scott. Who I believe was in world tennis, but WOWed the Pac12 reps before his hire with all kinds of 'supposedly' cool ideas. But, from that hire they slipped to the bottom of the P5. We will see.

I'm talking about who they have now, though.. George Kliavkoff.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Cloneon

JM4CY

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 23, 2012
37,825
74,462
113
America
Regardless, I hope he has somewhat of a short leash. If he’s screwing things up, he’s gotta go. We don’t have time to let things get out of wack.
 

MugNight

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jul 27, 2021
2,227
4,064
113
We’re either gonna be trendsetters or following this guy off a cliff.
Feels like that. Bowlsby was stable but I think we were getting left behind at the station with him at the helm. Time to adapt or die
 

Yaz

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 29, 2018
1,620
2,584
113
Not their most current hire. Larry Scott. Who I believe was in world tennis, but WOWed the Pac12 reps before his hire with all kinds of 'supposedly' cool ideas. But, from that hire they slipped to the bottom of the P5. We will see.
Larry Scott was a bad hire and self-centered prick that wasted money left and right, like moving the PAC12 office to prime (EXPENSIVE) San Francisco location. His travel expenses were through the roof...Larry was pissing money away from day one and was not a leader...not well liked. You don't need to know college sports to be successful, you have to know fiscal restraint and your purpose. Hope the new guy does and surrounds himself with the subject matter experts of the B12 & college sports as he leads the media/digital charge.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big Daddy Kang

CascadeClone

Well-Known Member
Oct 24, 2009
10,830
13,884
113
I'm talking about who they have now, though.. George Kliavkoff.
Yeah he was a Vegas guy - MGM Entertainment, so hotels, shows, Golden Knights. He also had some TV/media jobs too. And of course he is a lawyer. He was more on the business end of "entertainment" rather than being a college sports guy per se.

It makes a lot of sense to me (as does Yormark) but the jury is still out. A lot depends on leadership and substance. Good leaders get good people and figure things out.
 

Gunnerclone

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2010
75,300
79,229
113
DSM
Yeah he was a Vegas guy - MGM Entertainment, so hotels, shows, Golden Knights. He also had some TV/media jobs too. And of course he is a lawyer. He was more on the business end of "entertainment" rather than being a college sports guy per se.

It makes a lot of sense to me (as does Yormark) but the jury is still out. A lot depends on leadership and substance. Good leaders get good people and figure things out.

Deputy Commisioner: Jim Jones
Ops Director: Memphis Bleek
 

Jiub

Well-Known Member
Nov 11, 2015
747
809
93
Des Moines
An impressive rolodex of connections, high energy, big idea guy, elite coast man to make big 12 elite, COO of Roc Nation (connections to Hollywood/fame/music and artistic industry) and did a great job with getting Nets out of NJ to Brooklyn and managing the Barclays arena.

Two biggest challenges for Yorkman:
1) Navigating media right negotiations which expires after the 2024-2025 season to put the Big 12 in the best possible position going forward. Netflix is crashing and burning. Hoping for either Amazon, Apple, or HBO streaming rights. Open to Peacock as well.

2) More immediately getting Texas and Oklahoma out cleanly and transitioning to the new 14 team set up and getting as much money as possible out of OU/Texas leave early.

I see some great marketing moving forward for Big 12. This will be the chaos league that will be fun to watch. SEC will obviously be king. But Big 12 will have a quality product to sell and an expansive territory. It will include Iowa, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Florida. That is a lot of states with eyeballs for subscriptions. Also BYU's national following and just the genuine interest in the Big 12 from fans of other conferences will also add to that number.

Maybe he can try to get Nebraska, Colorado, or Missouri back. I doubt it....but getting another P5 team into the Big 12 would be great or just any school with great football and basketball traditions.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Help Support Us

Become a patron