Brett Yormark on Big 12 Tournament court: ‘We wanted to make a profound statement’
Fans attending the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Center last week got the first look. Those attending the men’s event in Kansas City now get their glimpse.
The court design is ... something.
The floor is covered with hundreds of patterned “XII” logos covering the entire floor except inside the free throw lines and at midcourt.
On social media, it’s been described as grandma’s bathroom tile floor, an optical illusion and a magic eye poster.
The Big 12 partnered with global sportswear brand and retailer UNDEFEATED on the design.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark defended the floor as the Big 12 men’s tournament got underway Tuesday.
“That court isn’t about me, it’s about our student-athletes,” Yormark said. “When I first got here it was all about modernizing and contemporizing our brand, connecting to culture and getting on the consciousness of current and future student-athletes. ... That’s our stage, and we wanted to make a profound statement.”
Yormark said he heard favorable reviews from the women’s players last week and the Iowa State men’s team, which practiced early Tuesday. But he admits the design may not be for everyone.
“In life, you never get it perfectly correct,” Yormark said. “But I think the people that matter most who are weighing in really love it, and that’s what matters to me.”