"We have a plan for expansion. I'm not going to address it today." Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark comments on the burning question of Media Days

There's been speculation over the last couple of months on the Big 12 potential expansion plan. The conference commissioner, Brett Yormark, further confirmed the plan during the Media Days. However, he refused to extensively address the issue on Wednesday.

The conference added four new institutions this summer, taking membership up to 14. However, Texas and Oklahoma will leave to join the Southeastern Conference in 2024. This has called for the need to further expand and stay competitive.

“I feel like I’ve been talking about expansion for a year now," Yormark said. "We have a plan for expansion. I’m not going to really address it today.”

A number of schools have been linked to the Big 12 over the last couple of months, most especially from the Pac-12. The Pac-12 has struggled to secure a new media deal after months of negotiation and put a couple of its members on the brink of exit.

The remarks by Yormark coincide with reports of substantial talks between Colorado and the Big 12, suggesting a potential departure from the Pac-12. The University of Arizona is also reportedly a top target for the Big 12 in its next expansion phase.

There have been indications of the conference's interest in recruiting UConn and Gonzaga. It is believed that Brett Yormark holds the intention of strengthening the conference basketball appeal, and the two universities are perfect candidates to make that happen.

Brett Yormark noted the Big 12 is not desperate for expansion

Speaking on the first day of the Big 12 Media Days, Yormark made it known that the conference is not in a rush to expand. He said that the conference would only consider incorporating new programs in the future if it aligns with the league's objectives and rationale.

“I love the composition of the conference right now," Yormark said. "If we stay at 12, we’re perfectly fine with that.”

Yormark reiterated the Big 12's commitment to becoming a conference that spans across the country.

“As I’ve said all along, we have an appetite to be a national conference in our makeup from coast-to-coast," Yormark said. "And we do believe in the upside of basketball moving forward as a collective group.

“That being said, we love our current composition and love the four new schools that are coming in next month. However, if the opportunity presents itself to create value, we will pursue it. … It is a focus of ours and when we’re ready to speak more with greater specificity, we’ll do so.”

The conference is set for one of the most competitive seasons in its history with 14 programs. We wait to see how the program embarks on its next phase of expansion after the departures of Texas and Oklahoma.