As uncertainty about regulating NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals in college sports continues to grow, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is defending some of the industry’s much-criticized innovations.
As the revenue-sharing era began this summer, the newly created College Sports Commission (CSC) launched the NIL Go clearinghouse that is supposed to approve any deal worth more than $600. However, that approval process has been lagging, with some deals remaining in limbo for weeks on end.
“While some have expressed concern about how long it’s taking some NIL deals to get approved, I’ll say this: That’s not a glitch, that’s a feature,” Yormark said Tuesday at the Big 12 basketball media days in Kansas City. “The CSC is doing the critical work to ensure there’s no pay for play in our industry. Deals that aren’t aboveboard are getting the scrutiny they deserve. This is a new era of enforcement. Complying with these new rules is not optional.”
Earlier this month, sources told Front Office Sports that multiple major power conference collectives were giving up on trying to work through NIL Go, and that at least two collectives had begun to pay players before the submitted deals had been approved.
Long term, Yormark expects the CSC’s enforcement efforts “to be strong and robust.”
Is Bigger Better?
Yormark reiterated his stances in favor of expanding both the College Football Playoff and March Madness.
The CFP has a Dec. 1 deadline to decide on any expanded format for the 2026 season. “I’ve always said you have to earn it on the field,” Yormark said. “Nothing should be predetermined come the beginning of the season. So, if there was a conversation about a format that gave the four power conferences the same amount of a chance, I’m all ears.”
Yormark has been a proponent of expanding to 16 teams with just five automatic bids for the top five conference champions, while the Big Ten has been pushing proposals that would guarantee the conference at least four playoff spots each year.
As it relates to March Madness, Yormark said Big 12 coaches and ADs are “in favor of modest expansion.” The NCAA has been considering growing the men’s and women’s tournaments from 68 to either 72 or 76 teams. “The right economics have to come with that,” Yormark said, referencing the need for more media-rights fees should expansion be approved. “I’ve reinforced that over the last couple of months. And I do believe that there’s momentum for expansion.”
