Big 12 boss: 2028 ‘look-in’ eases CFP concerns
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Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Writer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said he “wasn’t happy” with the league’s recently negotiated revenue distribution plan from the College Football Playoff, but he remains confident in the future of the conference while recognizing the football teams have to perform at a higher level.
In mid-March, all nine FBS conferences and Notre Dame leadership agreed to the next CFP contract, which will begin in 2026 and further separate the Big Ten and the SEC financially from the other leagues. Big Ten and SEC schools will each be making more than $21 million annually. ACC schools will get more than $13 million annually, while Big 12 schools will get more than $12 million annually.
Yormark said he pushed for a “look-in” in 2028, which is halfway through the six-year deal and gives the FBS commissioners an opportunity to reevaluate the economics and “see whether or not anything should be modified or adjusted.”
“Having that look-in made sense for a lot of different reasons,” said Yormark, who spoke to a small group of reporters Wednesday at the annual Fiesta Spring Summitt. “I certainly wasn’t happy with the distribution. I guess you could say in some respects I was satisfied. It was fine. But certainly not happy about it. And I don’t think our ADs or our coaches are either, but we’re going to continue to invest for the right reasons.
“We’re going to continue to build football. It’s at the core of what we do, and I’m excited about the future.”
Yormark said he doesn’t wake up every morning thinking about other conferences, and that the narrative about the growing power and separation of the SEC and Big Ten has been “overstated.” Those two conferences have the bulk of control over the future format, but the other leagues surrendered that in exchange for iron-clad guarantees.
“We spend a lot of time talking strategically about the direction of collegiate athletics and what’s in the best interest of everyone,” Yormark said. “Does the SEC and Big Ten break away from that from time to time and strategize together? I’m sure they do, but I will tell you the chemistry and culture amongst the four commissioners is extremely positive and, even though I’m relatively new in my job, I’d venture to say it’s the best its ever been.”
The CFP will unveil a 12-team format this season and next, but Yormark and the other commissioners on the CFP management committee haven’t determined what the sport’s postseason will look like in 2026 and beyond. There is strong momentum within the room for a 14-team field, and the commissioners did agree that there would be at least 12 teams in the future.
Yormark said more access for student-athletes is “a great thing,” but there is no timeline for deciding the future format and doesn’t expect any decisions “in the foreseeable future.”
“If we end up going to 14 and we can further enhance the championship experience for more teams and more student-athletes, that’s great,” Yormark said, “and I’m going to continue to bet on the Big 12 that we’re going to take some of those at-large spots. In theory, more is more. More is good, but the proof is in the details and I’m excited to see how this year plays out at 12.”
Yormark said he’d like to see the pros and cons of the 12-team format first before trying to modify it.
“It wouldn’t be a bad thing to just play it out this year, but I’m just one of many,” he said. “… We’ll collectively make that decision.”
This week’s spring meetings marked the first time all 16 schools were represented in league meetings following a sweeping conference expansion that added Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. Yormark said the league also discussed more access in the NCAA basketball tournament and the coaches “in theory” are for expansion. While he said he hasn’t thought about the number, Yormark said he’s “open to 76.”
“The tournament is one of the greatest spectacles in sports,” Yormark said. “It captivates hard-core fans and casual fans for all the right reasons and you don’t want to mess with something that’s great, but if there’s chances to modify it a bit … We owe it to ourselves to do that.”
Yormark said he understands the conference “didn’t perform probably as well” as others in the past decade of the CFP, but “history doesn’t always repeat itself.”
“There’s a lot to sell here, and I’m pretty good at selling,” Yormark said. “I’m going to continue to push the narrative for all the right reasons while we get better. … Now, we have to perform, don’t get me wrong. It all comes back to performance, and the coaches know that and the ADs know that. But my job is, as we continue to perform at a higher level, to create the narrative behind it.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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