Commissioner Brett Yormark leaving Big 12 after January - ESPN

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is leaving the conference, a decision he made as he prepares to take another job outside of college sports.

Yormark approached his bosses at the Big 12 about his decision nearly 10 days ago, Kansas chancellor Doug Girod told ESPN. They conversed about his decision over recent days, and the Big 12 board formalized his departure terms Friday morning with a vote.

Girod told ESPN: «He approached us with a proposal to craft a path for what you'd call an 'elegant exit.'»

Yormark plans to stay through January to ensure a smooth transition. He was the league's fifth commissioner, and they'll launch a national search for a sixth.

«When I accepted this job, my goal was to put this conference on an upward trajectory and truly believe that the future of the conference could not be in better shape,» Yormark said in a statement. «The next commissioner of this league will inherit a conference that is 16 strong. There has never been a better time to be a member of the Big 12 than right now.»

Girod is the chair of the Big 12's board of directors, and he summed up Yormark's tenure this way: «He's been really good for us.»

Yormark arrived at the Big 12 when he took over for Bob Bowlsby nearly a year after Oklahoma and Texas voted to bolt for the SEC. Girod said Yormark's ability to navigate the Big 12 to its current television deal will be his legacy in the conference.

In his introductory news conference at Big 12 media days in July 2022 after accepting the job, Yormark declared the Big 12 was «open for business.» He took an aggressive approach to securing the Big 12's future and strengthening its brand over his tenure.

His signature move came soon after taking over in 2022 when he guided the Big 12