Brett Yormark finally puts a halt to the Big 12 expansion with new plans to integrate schools and ease the scheduling process: Reports

Following the addition of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah from the Pac-12, the Big 12 expansion is taking a pause for now. Commissioner Brett Yormark revealed this move in his interview with the major newspapers.

Yormark has never hidden that the Big 12 is open to expansion, provided it adds value to the conference. He frequently talks about making the Big 12 a national conference spanning different time zones. He is already achieving this with the new additions.

However, the Big 12 expansion will be on hold now, and Yormark believes they’ve achieved their goal. He further revealed that the league's primary focus will be seamlessly incorporating the new schools and establishing a workable schedule.

Has the Big 12 expansion made the league stronger?

The goal of conference expansion in college sports is to become stronger and stay competitive. Power Five conferences have recently embarked on a wave of expansion to become more attractive and ensure financial stability.

The Big 12 expansion aimed to compete with the two biggest Power Five conferences, the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference. The realignment of the four new schools has undoubtedly added to the league's strength in the Power Five landscape.

The recent expansion did not only strengthen the Big 12, but it also weakened its biggest Power Five competition. The expansion added four universities from the Pac-12, which plunged the conference into chaos. The Big 12 is now undoubtedly the third biggest in the Power Five.

Will the new additions mitigate the loss of Texas and Oklahoma?

Losing the two most prominent schools, Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC is a big hit to the Big 12. The Longhorns and the Sooners are storied programs in college sports, and they’ve primarily contributed to the marketability of the Big 12 over the years.

While the new Big 12 expansion teams are not on the level of Texas and Oklahoma, the four can do a lot to ensure the Big 12 stays competitive. With their competitive history within the Power Five, the four universities can help mitigate the Big 12 loss in the long run.

Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah are expected to exert competition in the Big 12. This will go a long way in increasing the quality of the league within the Power Five and help boost the marketability of the conference in the realm of college athletics.