Big 12 Explores In-Game Interviews, Behind-the-Scenes Access During Broadcasts

It is exploring a plan with its media partners to modernize the broadcast of its football games.

The Big 12 is exploring a plan with its media partners to modernize the broadcast of its football games, including having live in-game interviews, more access to locker rooms before and after games, and recording live audio of its coaches before the game and beyond.

During meetings here this week, Big 12 administrators and football coaches discussed the plan at length, according to multiple officials who were part of the discussions. No other details were available, and a league spokesperson declined comment.

Modernizing game broadcasts is a small piece of a larger plan that first-year commissioner Brett Yormark is leading. Coming to college sports from an entertainment agency, Yormark enters with an innovative agenda that he hopes will propel the conference. In his first few months on the job, the league plans to play conference games in Mexico, has somewhat rebranded the league and plans a concert tour of music acts.

The broadcasts of professional sports games have continuously evolved as leaders look to keep the attention of younger audiences in this social media world. More networks have started to expand access to interviews and locker rooms, but college sports have, for the most part, remained the same.