Big 12 set to host conference games in Mexico starting in 2024

The Big 12 Conference announced that it will begin hosting games in Mexico starting in 2024, with hopes of hosting a college football bowl game south of the border in 2026.

Called "Big 12 Mexico," this new arrangement promises to expand the group's footprint beyond the Midwest, Texas and West Virginia. In December 2024, Big 12 Mexico will launch with men's and women's basketball games between Kansas and incoming member Houston played in Mexico City. Baseball and women's soccer teams will also play preseason games against clubs based in the country.

According to its announcement, the conference is exploring opportunities to host a bowl game in Monterrey in 2026, which would be the first postseason game ever played in Mexico.

The conference is hoping to take advantage of what commissioner Brett Yormark calls 'a natural extension' of its brand as four current (Texas, Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor) and one future member (Houston) are located less than 400 miles from the country. In addition, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have campuses in Mexico, another positive from this budding relationship.

Big 12 Mexico isn't exactly a full-on replacement for departing members Texas and Oklahoma, schools that will join the SEC in July 2024 just as the cross-border program kicks off. However, it's obvious that the reconfigured conference, which adds Houston, Cincinnati, BYU and UCF in mere weeks, sees lucrative marketing opportunities by going south. Those would be easier to gain thanks to Spanish-language broadcasts from ESPN and FOX Sports, and the conference says it will look to include Spanish-language radio broadcasts as well.

Interestingly enough, the University of Colorado and the University of Arizona have been rumored to switch from the suddenly fledging Pac-12 to the Big 12. Colorado is intriguing because not only would it return to the Big 12 after ditching it for the Pac-12 in 2010, but it carries hype brought on by its new football coach Deion Sanders. However, Arizona would further the conference's 'natural extension' as the school has an expansive footprint in Mexico.