Big 12 Commish: Garish Court Design Is ‘Profound Statement,’ Could Go on ‘Branded Luggage’

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark wants his conference to make a “profound statement” during its basketball tournaments. 

He’s succeeding at the statement part. 

The court at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City this week for the men’s tournament is quite the sight: a pattern of XII logos—signifying the conference’s name in Roman numerals—cover the floor. The same display made its debut during the conference’s women’s tournament which started March 5 at T-Mobile Center and is meant to reflect a modern version of the league. The effect, though, is dizzying and headache-inducing, according to some fans. 

Speaking to ESPN, Yormark said his son showed him a tweet comparing the court to a “Louis Vuitton backpack,” which delighted him. 

“Candidly that’s all I needed to read,” he said. “That is exactly what we’re looking for. This is just the beginning. We’re all about the 12.”

Unique court designs have been around for years. Oregon previously had a court design depicting a pond with its ducks mascot but changed it ahead of their move to the Big 10 conference. Others, like Xavier (Cincinnati), Washington (Seattle), and Missouri-Kansas City, had their city’s skyline painted on the court floor. The NBA has unveiled specific court looks for games related to the NBA Cup. But basketball conferences have kept their courts pretty traditional for their tournaments—at least until now. The Big 12 court has drawn mixed reviews on social media, with some fans complaining about it while others endorsed it. Others are just having fun with memes.

“I got here early and Iowa State practiced and the entire team said they loved it, loved being here,” Yormark told reporters this week. “I think it’s aspirational. We wanted to make a profound statement. In life, you never get it perfectly correct, but I think the people that matter the most that are weighing in love it, and that’s what matters to me.”

He said when he began his Big 12 role, “it was all about modernizing and contemporizing our brand, connecting to culture and getting on the consciousness of current and future student-athletes — and that’s what we’re doing.”

The “5-strike” logo of Undefeated, the streetwear brand, was on the court and it was unclear if the brand paid the conference to sponsor the court or if the conference paid the brand to design it. Undefeated and the Big 12’s head of marketing did not respond to requests for comment.