The Big 12 is targeting Brett Yormark — a longtime Northeastern sports executive and the current COO of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation — to be its next commissioner, league sources tell CBS Sports’s Dennis Dodd. While Yormark has extensive experience in the sports and entertainment industry, he has yet to hold a position of significance in college sports.

Yormark is reportedly in the process of finalizing a deal with the Big 12, which has long been expected to announce its next commissioner by its football media days, scheduled for July 13-14. He originally joined Roc Nation in 2019 as co-CEO of Roc Nation Unified, a division of the company that handles global licensing and brand opportunities, before being promoted to COO of the overall company in January.

Prior to his time at Roc Nation, Yormark spent nearly 15 years leading the Nets as CEO, a job he started in 2005. Yormark oversaw the franchise’s move from New Jersey to Brooklyn as well as construction of the Barclays Center. He only left when a new ownership group purchased the team in 2019. 

Yormark represents another sharp departure from tradition as FBS conferences seek commissioners with varied skillsets entering a critical period for college sports and particularly college football.