Big 12 Signs Participation Agreements with College Sports Commission

Frisco, Texas – The Big 12 Conference has become the first Power Four conference to have all its members sign participation agreements with the College Sports Commission (CSC). This agency was established last year to manage name, image, and likeness payments for college athletes. Commissioner Brett Yormark emphasized the Big 12’s commitment to rules and enforcement.

“The Big 12 wants rules and enforcements, and we want to be a leader in that area,” Yormark stated after the league completed four days of annual meetings.

The agreement obliges schools to waive their right to sue the enforcement agency and provides the CSC with extensive authority to penalize programs that violate the rules regarding player compensation.

For the agreement to take effect, all 68 Power Four schools must sign the 11-page document. Initially, schools were asked to review and sign it by last December. Yormark noted that while other conferences have expressed interest in rules and enforcement, they have not signed the participation agreement.

Kansas State’s President, Richard Linton, confirmed the Big 12’s board of directors, consisting of presidents and chancellors from its 16 schools, agreed unanimously to sign the document. Yormark anticipates collecting all signatures by early next week.

The participation agreement highlights the rules established since the House settlement last summer, including salary caps and the CSC’s role in reviewing third-party name, image, likeness deals through its NIL Go platform. During the meetings in North Texas, CSC CEO Bryan Seeley addressed Big 12 members and league officials. The CSC reported clearing over 26,000 NIL deals, valued at approximately $242.3 million through May 1 since its inception.

Yormark mentioned a recent call with the CSC and other conference commissioners. He acknowledged that the CSC, being a startup less than a year old, has areas for improvement and adjustment in both short-term and long-term plans. He expressed optimism about the CSC’s future direction.