Brett Yormark‘s decision to leave the Big 12 comes as the commissioner had reportedly grown increasingly frustrated with the growing power imbalance between the Big Ten and SEC and the rest of college football.
And apparently, Yormark had some regrets about how we got here.
According to a report from The Athletic‘s Chris Vannini and Justin Williams, Yormark was among the conference commissioners who came to regret granting the Big Ten and SEC significantly more control over the future of the College Football Playoff in 2024.
Yormark even acknowledged earlier this year that he might handle things differently today.
“I would say I was a rookie commissioner at that point in time,” Yormark told The Athletic this spring. “Today, I’m a very different commissioner than I was, and I’m not sure I would have made the same decision.”
Those frustrations apparently haven’t gone away.
The Athletic reports that Yormark had grown increasingly frustrated with the power imbalance between the Big Ten and SEC and everyone else in college athletics.
That recently included negotiations over the future of the College Football Playoff.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua reportedly led CFP television negotiations with ESPN. During an Oct. 15 call involving the larger group, Yormark pushed back heavily on the process.
According to the report, Yormark and others believed the entire group should have more input on the financial numbers and whether the CFP television rights should potentially be taken to the open market.
It’s an interesting backdrop to Friday’s stunning news that Yormark will leave the Big 12 on Jan. 31, 2027.
More: Five Candidates to Replace Brett Yormark
The Athletic cited multiple factors behind Yormark’s decision, including conference power dynamics, family considerations and new opportunities. He is expected to take a job outside college athletics.
So it would be a stretch to say the Big Ten and SEC’s growing power drove Yormark out of the Big 12.
But it clearly became a source of frustration.
And perhaps the most revealing part is that Yormark seemingly recognized the Big 12 and other conferences surrendered too much power when they still had an opportunity to fight for more.
