SPOKANE, Wash. — Since mid-August, the Big 12 has been considering adding Gonzaga and UConn as basketball-only members for the 2024 or 2025 school year.
Following the conference realignment, the Big 12 has grown larger than the commissioner, Brett Yormark, expected.
“Right now, we’re done,” Yormark said in mid-August. “We had a strategy and effectively we’ve been able to execute it. Initially, I wasn’t sure if we’d grow to 14 or 16 (schools). I think 16 was kind of a dream scenario.”
As the conference gained Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, the conference tabled the discussion of adding Gonzaga to the mix. They achieved their “dream” scenario with having 16 schools in their conference.
According to multiple reports, Yornark and the Big 12 have started discussing the possibility of adding the Bulldogs to the conference again.
If Gonzaga is added, that would grow the conference to 17. This conference would have multiple AP Top 25 basketball schools including Kansas, Baylor, Houston and Arizona.
One key factor for the Big 12 is Gonzaga’s willingness to accept a smaller revenue share. The conference could come to a decision on adding Gonzaga within the next two weeks, according to Brett McMurphy of the Action Network.
At this time since Washington State and Oregon State are part of the Pac-12, Big 12 commissioner expressed that they will not be pursuing those schools.
