The Big 12 Conference has opened its doors to several programs to expand during this busy and tumultuous off-season of realignment. And while commissioner Brett Yormark originally pumped the breaks on additional add-ons, The Messenger’s Seth Davis reported on Monday that the Big 12 and Gonzaga have resumed negotiations about the possibility of the Zags joining the league, possibly as early as 2024.
According to Davis, the push is being “spearheaded” by Yormark, who reportedly presented his case for Gonzaga to be included during last week’s Big 12 meetings in Dallas. Of course, this took some of the attendees by surprise, write Davis, after he publicly declared in mid-August that the Big 12 was no longer looking to add more schools, after adding Arizona, Arizona State and Utah.
Here’s more from Davis:
Sources told The Messenger that Yormark would like to see Gonzaga join the Big 12 for the 2024-25 season, but that timetable would be a best-case scenario. The Big 12 schools are still digesting the financial ramifications of adding the schools that agreed over the summer to come on board — as well as this year’s additions of Houston, Cincinnati, BYU and UCF. There are many logistical questions that would need to be answered, such as scheduling and how the conference tournament format would be adjusted to account for 17 schools with Gonzaga in the mix.
Apparently, the prospect of adding Gonzaga was not something that Yormark could give up on. This is understandable when considering their standing as one of the premier blue bloods in college sports, excluding football, of course.
The college sports world reacted to the Big 12 realignment update.
I love this. For everyone (myself included) who criticized Gonzaga’s weak schedule each year, throw them in the top hoops conference in the country and let’s go. https://t.co/sETVbWuWKL
— Tommy Castor (@TweetsFromTommy) October 9, 2023
Big 12 legend Adam Morrison https://t.co/RFO1TLRmgj pic.twitter.com/7x2MqAgbwt
— Jacob Harris (@JacobHarrisSBI) October 9, 2023
Would love this. https://t.co/xtMlUwyfgf
— Jonathan Schimmels (@ERPJon) October 9, 2023