Big 12 taps BYUtv for Media Days under new production model
The Big 12 Conference has selected BYUtv to serve as the production partner for its 2026 Football Media Days, utilizing a university-control-room model for the first time. This production will be distributed via ESPN networks and internationally on Disney+, leveraging LiveU transmission technology and Sony broadcast hardware.
Key Takeaways
- BYUtv deployed a 53-foot production trailer and 35 personnel, including students from BYU and TCU, for the onsite broadcast.
- International distribution for the event expanded to Disney+, marking a first for the conference’s media days as part of a global visibility push.
- Hardware used includes six Sony HDC-4300 4K cameras and a Ronin 4D, with LiveU technology linking the Texas set to BYUtv’s Provo studio.
- The production model bifurcates duties, with BYUtv managing studio programming and Jeff Watts Productions handling main-stage press conference feeds.
Why It Matters
The Big 12’s shift to a university-control-room model demonstrates how conferences are leveraging member institutions' internal technical infrastructure to reduce external costs while maintaining network-level standards. By utilizing BYUtv’s existing 4K gear and LiveU workflows, the conference scales its domestic reach through ESPN while simultaneously testing global appetite on Disney+. This hybrid approach creates a template for Tier 2 and Tier 3 collegiate rights holders to maintain high production value by tapping into the 'work-integrated learning' personnel models common at larger athletic programs. Watch for other conferences to adopt school-managed production for mid-tier events to improve margins under new media rights cycles.
Additional Context
The Big 12's push for international visibility follows a strategic roadmap established by Commissioner Brett Yormark to transform the league into a global brand. Per Sports Business Journal (July 2026), this globalization strategy includes staging high-profile matchups abroad, such as the 2026 season opener in Dublin between TCU and North Carolina, and the first-ever college football game at London’s Wembley Stadium featuring Arizona State and Kansas. These efforts align with the conference’s $2.28 billion media rights extension with ESPN and Fox, which went into effect in 2024 and runs through the 2030-31 season (per Front Office Sports, May 2026). BYUtv’s selection as a production partner is a culmination of its long-standing focus on sports broadcasting excellence. Since BYU joined the Big 12 in 2023, the institution has integrated its campus production capabilities with ESPN’s requirements. Per a 2023 report from the BYU Daily Universe, the university’s model utilizes a large roster of student employees to staff high-level broadcasts, a practice that David Phillips Jr., head of BYUtv Sports, noted is rare among U.S. universities. This infrastructure allows the conference to produce content at a specification typically reserved for national networks while providing career-entry experience for students. In addition to media distribution, the conference is aggressively expanding its commercial portfolio. Per On3 (July 2026), the Big 12 recently secured a multi-year entitlement partnership with Monster Energy for its football and basketball seasons. This move is part of a broader effort to boost sponsorship revenue, which Yormark reported has increased by 182% over the past year. By combining these revenue streams with expanded digital distribution on platforms like Disney+, the Big 12 aims to close the revenue gap with larger competitors like the Big Ten and SEC.
Read full article at sportsvideo.org
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