Mon Dec 09 23:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Big 12 Commissioner Questions Expanded Playoff’s Impact on Fan Attendance

**ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)** — Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark acknowledged concerns about fan attendance and the expanded College Football Playoff format following Arizona State’s 45-19 victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship game Saturday. Despite an announced crowd of 55,889 at AT&T Stadium, the actual attendance appeared significantly lower.

Yormark pointed out the difficulty fans now face in choosing which games to attend, with the new 12-team playoff requiring teams to potentially play four games to reach the championship, in addition to the conference championship game itself. He noted the scheduling challenges and the impact of limited discretionary income on fan travel.

While committed to maintaining the conference championship game, which he called a “tentpole event,” Yormark indicated openness to exploring alternative formats. He specifically mentioned the possibility of the top-seeded team hosting the Big 12 title game in the future, acknowledging the need to consider fan accessibility. The current contract with AT&T Stadium runs through 2031.

This year’s game marked a significant drop in attendance compared to last year’s record-setting crowd of 84,523. Yormark also doubled down on his earlier assertion that the Big 12 champion deserves preferential treatment in the playoff compared to Group of Five champions, citing the strength of the conference. He expressed confidence that the selection committee would recognize this.

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