Big 12 Conference

Settlement Documents Filed in College Athletics Class-Action Lawsuits

Big 12 Conference Bolsters Football Division with Two Strategic Hires Today, the Big 12 Conference announced two hires to strengthen the Conference’s football strategy and operations.   Matt Ensor has been hired as the Senior Director of Communications. In this role, Ensor will oversee day-to-day football communications duties, advancing the league’s narrative and storytelling efforts on and off the gridiron.   Ensor joins the Big 12 from Arizona, where he was the Associate A.D. for Communications, overseeing the entire athletic communications department. Prior to his time in Tucson, Ensor worked as the Assistant A.D. at New Mexico, managing communications for the Lobos football and men’s basketball programs. In addition to football, Ensor will oversee communications duties for Big 12 wrestling and co-manage communications for Big 12 baseball. Ensor will report to Clark Williams, Vice President of Communications & Strategy.   Additionally, the Big 12 has hired Neyland Raper as Director of Football Operations and Competition. Raper will report to Chief Football & Competition Officer Scott Draper, assisting him on a variety of football initiatives, as well as taking a lead role in operations and day-to-day liaison with Big 12 institutions and their football staffs. Neyland joins the Big 12 from Georgia, where he served as the Assistant A.D. & Director of Football Operations for three seasons. Raper’s tenure in Athens saw the Bulldogs win two College Football Playoff National Championships. Prior to Georgia, Raper held football operations positions with Colorado and Tennessee.   Both Ensor and Raper will officially start on August 1. https://lnkd.in/g2--XFRR

Big 12 Conference and Microsoft Announce First-Ever Partnership to Bring Microsoft Tablets to College Football Sidelines and Coaching Booths The Big 12 Conference and Microsoft have announced a partnership that will see Microsoft Surface devices provided to each Big 12 football program for use throughout the 2024 season. This is Microsoft’s first partnership in college athletics and across A4 conferences. These tablets will be available for usage on the sideline and in the coaching booth, allowing players and coaches access to video review in-game. Microsoft has served as the Official Technology Partner for the National Football League since 2013, where all 32 NFL clubs utilize Microsoft Surface devices. “The Big 12 is excited to announce our partnership with Microsoft that will see their Surface devices across our sidelines and in our coaching booths this fall. We look forward to continuing to be innovative and grow Big 12 Football, and we are thrilled to do so alongside a pioneering company such as Microsoft.” – Scott Draper, Chief Football & Competition Officer, Big 12 Conference. “We are thrilled to partner with the Big 12 Conference for the 2024 NCAAF season as they continue to innovate in football and technology. We look forward to bringing our joint expertise together to evolve the game and further empower student-athletes and coaches.” - Gabe Rudolph, Sr. Manager, Sports Partnerships, Microsoft. Earlier this year, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the use of tablets to view in-game videos. Teams can have up to 18 active tablets for use in the coaching booth, sideline, and locker room. Tablets cannot be connected to other devices to project larger additional images and cannot include analytics, data or data access capability or other communication access. All team personnel will be allowed to view the tablets during the game. https://lnkd.in/gfbnCBZd

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Big 12 Conference Launches “Big 12 Beyond Borders” Program Today, the Big 12 Conference has announced the launch of the Big 12 Beyond Borders program, set to debut in 2024. This two-year opportunity will immerse selected student-athletes in a variety of historical and cultural experiences in the U.S. and internationally.   This year’s Big 12 Beyond Borders program will take place in Washington D.C. from July 5 – 9 and will feature stops on Capitol Hill to meet with congressional members and senators, visits to multiple museums including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, along with a community service project at a local elementary school.   Each member institution has designated two student-athletes who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and character on and off the playing field.   “We created Big 12 Beyond Borders as a way to help develop our student-athletes into the global leaders of tomorrow. The program utilizes history, culture, engagement advocacy and giving back as a way to understand their connectedness and place in this world,” notes Jenn Hunter, JD, Chief Impact Officer at the Big 12. “With the skillsets our group of student-athlete leaders possess, their opportunities are endless.”   The full list of participating student-athletes can be found below.   Arizona Maia Brown, Soccer James Onanubosi, Track & Field   Arizona State Arden Besecker, Beach Volleyball C.J. Fite, Football   Baylor Bella Fontleroy, Women’s Basketball Matthew Klopfenstein, Football   BYU Hailey Morrow, Softball Sam Dawe, Football   UCF Abby Schomers, Volleyball Dwartney Wortham, Football   Cincinnati Devon Cherry, Lacrosse Brian Simms III, Football   Colorado Avery Bolles, Volleyball Arden Walker, Football   Houston Paris Kimble, Track & Field Parker Jenkins, Football   Iowa State Rachel Joseph, Track & Field Xavier Bruening, Wrestling   Kansas Grace Zifcak, Swimming & Diving Jordan Campbell, Track & Field   K-State Symone Sims, Volleyball Asa Newsom, Football   Oklahoma State Caroline Dill, Soccer Armstrong Nnodim, Football   TCU Hallie Frist, Beach Volleyball Destin Drummond, Track & Field   Texas Tech Emeline Mangham, Cross Country/Track & Field Jurrien Loftin, Football   Utah Ashley West, Volleyball Spencer Fano, Football   West Virginia Jordan Harrison, Women’s Basketball Johnny Williams IV, Football https://lnkd.in/g5FnuQBS

Big 12 Conference Announces Organizational Redesign Across Leadership Team   Irving, Texas – Today, the Big 12 Conference and Commissioner Brett Yormark announced a series of staff changes across the league’s leadership team.    Competition   Vice President of Football Scott Draper has been promoted to Chief Football & Competition Officer, where he will provide executive oversight of the entire Competition department while continuing to manage and grow Big 12 Football. Draper will be joined by a to-be-named Director of Football this Summer.   As women’s basketball continues to flourish, the Conference has tapped Dayna Scherf to serve in a newly created role as Vice President of Women’s Basketball. In this role, Scherf will focus exclusively on overseeing Big 12 Women’s Basketball and its growth trajectory. Previously, Scherf served as Vice President of Women’s Basketball and Competition at the Big 12.   The Big 12 has tapped Lisa Peterson to be the league’s Vice President of Olympic Sports. Peterson comes from the Pac-12, where she served as Senior Associate Commissioner of Sports Management and Championships, with an emphasis on the league’s 21 Olympic sports.    Communications   Clark Williams has been promoted to Vice President of Communications & Strategy, where he will oversee all sports, business, and strategic communications for the Big 12. Additionally, the Media Services department will be rebranded as the Communications department, which Williams will oversee and manage. Joni Lehmann, Senior Director of Media Services, will retire after 26 years at the Big 12 Conference. Lehmann will remain with the Conference through 2024 Football Media Day.   Bob Burda has transitioned into the newly created role of Chief Administrative Officer & Special Projects. This position will see Burda assist the Commissioner on a variety of initiatives and serving as the administrative liaison to the Big 12 Board and Athletic Directors.    Legal   Chief Legal Officer Jessica Presnall has been named Chief Legal & Business Affairs Officer. In this role, Presnall will continue her General Counsel duties and oversight of the legal, compliance and governance teams, and will provide oversight of Impact, Academics & Student-Athlete Success departments. https://lnkd.in/gKVb9ct6

137 Prospects to Participate in First Ever Big 12 Pro Day The full list of participants has been released for the 2024 Big 12 Pro Day, presented by the Air Force Reserve. A total of 137 prospects will participate in the inaugural Conference-wide Pro Day which will take place in Frisco, Texas at the Ford Center at The Star from March 27-31. The first-ever Big 12 Pro Day will be operated in cooperation with the National Football League. The Big 12 and NFL are partnering to reimagine student athlete evaluations with player skill assessments designed to maximize the prospect experience. Additionally, NoBull, the Official Combine Training Partner of the NFL, has been named the Official Apparel Partner of Big 12 Pro Day. Athletes will receive performance gear for workouts along with other NoBull products throughout the week. The partnership will ensure that athletes receive an experience that closely resembles the NFL Combine. The event will also feature Zebra Technologies, the Official Real Time Location Solutions Provider of the NFL. Zebra generates data for the NFL’s Next Gen Stats platform, and will apply this same tracking technology to spotlight player performance at the Big 12 Pro Day. https://lnkd.in/gzXBsJpx

Big 12 Announces Entertainment & Fan Experience Enhancements for 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships Today, the Big 12 Conference announced a variety of entertainment and fan experience enhancements for the upcoming Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships at T-Mobile Center.   Shaquille O’ Neal – AKA DJ Diesel – will return to the Big 12 Basketball Championships as he performs a 45-minute DJ set following the Men’s Championship game on March 16. DJ Diesel will perform at 9:00 p.m. at the Kansas City Live! Stage of the Power & Light District. Rising DJ star LC Danger will serve as the opening act for DJ Diesel.   Both the Men’s and Women’s Championship games will feature notable artists performing the National Anthem. The Men’s Championship final will see the national anthem performed by BRELAND, while Lanie Gardner will sing the anthem at the Women’s Championship game.    The Big 12 continues its WWE partnership with a WWE x Big 12 Championship Title Belt that will be presented to the Most Outstanding Player of both the Men’s and Women’s Championship.   The Conference will make its return to New York City, partnering with TSX to live-stream the Men’s and Women’s Championship games in Times Square. The live stream of the Women’s Championship will be sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, while the Men’s Championship will be sponsored by Modelo.   Additionally, the Big 12 is teaming up with Planet Comicon Kansas City, one of the nation's largest and longest-running comic book and pop culture events held annually at the Kansas City Convention Center. This partnership will see Planet Comicon KC and the Big 12 engage in cross-promotion marketing, with cosplay characters visiting the Women’s Championship on March 8.   In partnership with Levy Restaurants, #Big12Eats is back! The return of school-specific menu items has expanded to feature 15 culinary creations.   The Big 12 Conference continues to recognize and support Kansas City-based businesses in conjunction with Championship Week. The Conference will partner with KC-based apparel company Charlie Hustle for custom Big 12 merchandise available at a pop-up shop in downtown Kansas City. Additionally, the Conference will recognize McClendon Foundation fellows during the Women’s Championship Game, and will host daily pep rallies with bands and spirit squads at the Power & Light District. Lastly, The Big 12 is bringing the Hoopbus to Kansas City for Fan Fest on Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15. https://lnkd.in/gYp-E3jt

Big 12 Conference Announces Launch of “Basketball All-Access Pass”, an Exclusive Membership Program for Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championships Today, the Big 12 Conference announced the launch of the Basketball All-Access Pass, a new membership program for fans at the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship. This membership – which includes a Premium and Priority option – will provide fans the opportunity to purchase the same seat location for the Basketball Championship each year through 2031. The All-Access Pass will only apply to 12% of venue seating, with the remainder being unchanged.   The program will debut for the 2025 Basketball Championship, the Conference’s first-ever 16-team tournament that will see Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah make their Championship debut. The All-Access Pass program is being executed in partnership with global premium experiences company Legends .   “We are thrilled to be the home of the best basketball in college athletics. As the Big 12 continues to grow, we are committed to elevating fan experience and access,” said Commissioner Yormark. “The Basketball All-Access Pass program provides our fans with a unique opportunity to purchase preferred seats for years to come, as well as exclusive benefits and second-to-none access throughout our Basketball Championships.”   In 2023, Legends began conducting a fan survey of 12,000 Big 12 basketball fans, collecting feedback on a variety of elements surrounding the Big 12 Basketball Championship, including ticketing, seating, and fan experience. A key takeaway was fans’ desire for more premium seating opportunities, serving as a driving factor in the creation of the All-Access Pass.   Membership will be offered in two tiers - Premium Membership and Priority Membership. Premium Membership will provide access to a floor seat or premium lower level seats each year for all sessions, as well as access to premium clubs. The Priority Membership will provide fans access to premium lower level seats for only the sessions their team is participating in, as well as loaded tickets for concessions.   For further information, please visit https://lnkd.in/gTjFSHfC. Big 12 🤝 Legends

Big 12 Conference Announces Entertainment Enhancements For 2023 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship Game The Big 12 Conference has announced a series of entertainment and marketing enhancements for the 2023 Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship Game. This year’s contest features Texas and Oklahoma State at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. CT, broadcast nationally on ABC. Grammy Award-winning hip hop icon Nelly will perform during the Conference’s first-ever halftime show. During the set, Nelly will be joined by Oklahoma State’s Cowboy Marching Band and Texas’s Longhorn Band for a performance of his hit song, “Hot in Herre”. Additional musical performances including the singing of the National Anthem by rising country music singer and former NCAA student-athlete Warren Zeiders, and a pre-Championship concert featuring Wade Bowen on Friday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. CT. Additionally, DJ Poizon Ivy will provide in-game music, while Hannah Wing will serve as the in-game host. The Big 12 has partnered with WWE for this year’s game and will introduce a custom-made Championship Title Belt for this year’s Most Outstanding Player presented by a WWE Superstar, as well as a co-branded WWE x Big 12 logo featured throughout the venue. Co-branded merchandise will be available and sold across the Fanatics network of online stores, including WWE Shop, in addition to a limited edition By Way of Dallas-designed t-shirt available in stadium. WWE talent will also be present at the game, including Undertaker, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Jade Cargill, and WWE announcer Samantha Irvin. Additionally, the Big 12 and WWE Superstars Ricochet and Raquel Rodriguez will team up to visit a local YMCA leading up to the Championship game for a meet-and-greet with area youth. Meanwhile, Big 12 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) will engage in a job shadowing at Children’s Health as a part of the Big 12’s annual Career Tour.                 The Conference will introduce “Big 12 Tailgate in Times Square”, a live streaming of the Championship in New York City’s Times Square. This activation - in partnership with TSX - will be a part of Championship weekends for years to come. This year’s Football Championship marks the return of #Big12Eats as chefs from Legends will introduce two custom food items and cocktails, themed for each participating school. The items, which will be announced later this week, will be sold on the 360 concourse of AT&T Stadium. Children’s Health, WWE and the Big 12 are partnering for this year’s ceremonial coin toss, which will feature a patient ambassador accompanied by WWE talent to lead the flip. The limited-edition 2023 Championship coin will be available for purchase throughout AT&T Stadium, with all proceeds going to Children’s Health. https://lnkd.in/gwe5VXmC