Irving, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 Conference is expanding its reach into Mexico, announcing plans Thursday for men’s and women’s basketball games to be held in Mexico City late next year while also exploring a potential soccer game in Monterrey.
Big 12 Mexico is the league’s first international extension, coming less than a year later Brett Yormark became commissioner Advanced Conference.
“Mexico is a natural extension of the Big 12’s footprint,” said Euremark. “Through Big 12 Mexico, our student athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international environment, and our conference will have the opportunity to showcase our brand throughout Mexico.”
Kansas and Houston will play each other in men’s and women’s basketball at Arena CDMX in Mexico City in December 2024. After that, the women’s soccer and baseball teams from the Big 12 will take part in exhibitions against clubs from the region.
The conference said it would also explore adding a soccer game in Monterrey starting in 2026, but did not elaborate on potential plans for what would be Mexico’s first bowl game.
The Big 12 will expand from 10 to 14 schools on July 1 when BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, and Houston officially join the league. These additions come a year before Oklahoma and Texas leave for the Southeastern Conference.
Yormark said at the end of the league’s spring meetings last week that Expansion remains the focus of the conference, which is handing out a record $440 million in revenue Among its current ten schools for the 2022-23 school year.
Five large current or future universities – Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas, and Texas Tech – are located within 400 miles of Mexico. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State both have campus extensions in Mexico.
Besides hosting conference games across multiple sports, the Big 12 Mexico will see the league implement a variety of community outreach programs, business partnerships, merchandise, and activations. The association said this would include partnering with prominent musicians and artists and launching an influencer marketing campaign in the region.
Join the conversation