HOUSTON – The Big 12 Conference announced Thursday that it will launch Big 12 Mexico, which will be the conference’s first international extension of men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, and baseball games.
Big 12 Mexico’s first contest will be a men’s and women’s basketball matchup between Kansas and Houston, which will be held in Mexico City at Arena CDMX in December 2024. Following the launch of Big 12 basketball in Mexico, Big 12 women’s soccer and baseball will participate in exhibitions against clubs from the region.
The University of Houston officially joins the Big 12 Conference at 12:01 a.m. on July 1. The Cougars are hosting a virtual celebration Friday night, culminating with a toast at midnight.
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The Big 12 will also explore establishing a football bowl game in Monterrey, starting in 2026. This would be the first bowl game ever held in Mexico.
“Mexico is a natural extension to the Big 12 footprint, and I’m thrilled to introduce Big 12 Mexico as the Conference’s first-ever international presence,” said Commissioner Brett Yormark. “Through Big 12 Mexico, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international setting, and our Conference will have the chance to showcase our brand across Mexico.”
Leading up to the launch of Big 12 Mexico, FOX Sports, and ESPN will air select Big 12 football and basketball games on ESPN Deportes (U.S – based), ESPN Mexico, and ESPN on Star+ (Mexico – based channels and OTT service) and FOX Deportes (U.S. – based) channels. Additionally, the Big 12 will look to secure for the first time Spanish radio broadcasts for Big 12 Football and Basketball Championships in 2023-24 and beyond and will implement a robust Mexico digital strategy.
The Big 12 Conference will team up with Mexico City-based live entertainment agency Zignia as a co-promotional partner. Zignia is set to support with marketing and sales of Big 12 Mexico events, as well as provide the conference. On Location, an Endeavor-owned company will assist with all school travel and VIP packages, while Endeavor will assist the conference in all facets of its international digital strategy.
Beyond hosting conference games across multiple sports, Big 12 Mexico will see the conference execute a variety of community outreach programming, commercial partnerships, merchandise, and activations. This includes the conference partnering with notable musicians and artists and launching an influencer marketing campaign in the region.
Five current and future Big 12 Conference campuses – Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas, and Texas Tech - are located less than 400 miles away from Mexico, while the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have campus extensions in Mexico. Mexico City – the largest city in North America with a greater area population of over 22 million – has played host to MLB, NBA, and NFL, and is home to the G League’s Capitanes de Ciudad de México.
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