MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is at it again, with reports coming out that the conference is exploring playing football and men's and women's basketball games in Mexico City and Monterrey during the 2024-25 season
A preferred matchup between Kansas and Houston for men's basketball is being discussed, with the 22,300 seat Arena CDMX in Mexico City listed as a potential site.
Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, a 53,000 seat venue nicknamed El Gigante de Acero, is rumored to be the host for select Big 12 football games in 2025.
Locked on Big 12 host Josh Neighbors believes a healthy amount of skepticism should be applied here, but he applauds the effort to continue looking ahead rather than waiting for someone else to set trends.
"Think about where the Big 12 got caught," Neighbors said. "Not being progressive enough in terms of looking ahead to the future of college sports. Not having your heel stuck in the mud in a conference like the Big 12 is smart, because while they are among the Power-5, the Big Ten and the SEC are the big dogs."
Since taking over as the Big 12 commissioner, Yormark has struck a new TV deal with ESPN and Fox - increasing the league's value despite losing Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC - while also helping negotiate an exit fee for those two programs.
He has also been very open about his desire to expand the conference out west and build a basketball powerhouse, which has included conversations about adding a basketball-only member in Gonzaga or poaching programs from the Pac-12 while they remain without a media deal.
Yormark's aggressive tendencies have helped the Big 12's brand significantly while they fight to remain in the national conversation against powerhouse programs in the SEC and Big Ten. Playing in Mexico would definitely help increase the conference's reach, and could usher in a new era of college athletics.