Kansas Supreme Court Majority Says State Constitution Does Not Include a Right to Vote
UNDATED (AP) – The Kansas Supreme Court offered a mixed bag in a ruling Friday that combined several challenges to a 2021 election law, siding with state officials on one provision, reviving challenges to others and offering the possibility that at least one will be halted before this year's general election.
But it was the ballot signature verification measure's majority opinion — which stated there is no right to vote enshrined in the Kansas Constitution's Bill of Rights — that drew fiery dissent from three of the court's seven justices.
The measure requires election officials to match the signatures on advance mail ballots to a person’s voter registration record. The state Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s dismissal of that lawsuit, but the majority rejected arguments from voting rights groups that the measure violates state constitutional voting rights.
In fact, Justice Caleb Stegall, writing for the majority, said that the dissenting justices wrongly accused the majority of ignoring past precedent, holding that the court has not identified a “fundamental right to vote” within the state constitution.
“It simply is not there,” Stegall wrote.
Justice Eric Rosen, one of the three who dissented, shot back: “It staggers my imagination to conclude Kansas citizens have no fundamental right to vote under their state constitution.”
"I cannot and will not condone this betrayal of our constitutional duty to safeguard the foundational rights of Kansans,” Rosen added.
Conversely, the high court unanimously sided with the challengers of a different provision that makes it a crime for someone to give the appearance of being an election official. Voting rights groups, including Kansas League of Women Voters and the nonprofit Loud Light, argued the measure suppresses free speech and their ability to register voters as some might wrongly assume volunteers are election workers, putting them at risk of criminal prosecution.
A Shawnee County District Court judge had earlier rejected the groups' request for an emergency injunction, saying that impersonation of a public official is not protected speech.
But the high court faulted the new law, noting that it doesn't include any requirement that prosecutors show intent by a voter registration volunteer to misrepresent or deceive people into believing they're an election official, and it thus “criminalizes honest speech” where “occasional misunderstandings” are bound to occur, Stegall wrote in the majority opinion.
“As such, it sweeps up protected speech in its net,” Stegall said.
Because the lawsuit over the false impersonation law's constitutionality is likely to succeed, the state Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reconsider issuing an emergency injunction against it.
“For three years now, Kansas League of Women Voters volunteers have been forced to severely limit their assistance of voters due to this ambiguous and threatening law," said Martha Pint, president of the chapter. "The League’s critical voter assistance work is not a crime, and we are confident this provision will be quickly blocked when the case returns to the district court.”
Loud Light executive director Davis Hammet said he hopes the lower court “will stop the irreparable harm caused daily by the law and allow us to resume voter registration before the general election."
Neither Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab nor state Attorney General Kris Kobach responded to requests for comment on that portion of the high court's ruling.
Instead, in a joint statement, Schwab and Kobach focus on the high court's language bolstering the signature verification law and its upholding of a provision that says individuals may collect no more than 10 advance ballots to submit to election officials.
"This ruling allows us to preserve reasonable election security laws in Kansas,” Schwab said.
Supporters have argued the ballot collection restriction combats “ballot harvesting” and limits voter fraud. The GOP-led Legislature passed it over a veto by Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Critics have said it's a Republican reaction to baseless claims that the 2020 election was not valid, which prompted a wave of misinformation and voter suppression laws across the country.
Last year, the Kansas Court of Appeals reinstated a lawsuit challenging the ballot collection limitation and the signature verification, saying both impair the right to vote. But the high court upheld the limit on ballot collections, saying “voters have numerous avenues available to deliver their ballots” and that ballot collecting doesn't fall within the parameters of free speech.
Kobach defended the majority's opinion as “well-reasoned” and confirms that the Legislature has the constitutional authority to establish proofs “to ensure voters are who they say they are.”
“And that is exactly what Kansas’s signature verification requirement is," Kobach said.
(–Additional reporting–)
Kansas Supreme Court Sends Part of Legal Challenge to Voting Law Back to Lower Court
UNDATED (KNS) – The Kansas Supreme Court is sending a legal challenge to a controversial state voting law back to a district court. The law makes it a crime to pose as an election official. The Kansas News Service reports that the 2021 law makes impersonating an election official a felony in Kansas. Voting rights groups said it was too broadly written and they could violate the law simply by holding voter registration drives. This latest ruling will send the lawsuit back to a district judge who will decide whether to block the law. Davis Hammet is president of Loud Light, one of the organizations suing. “While we are excited about this getting resolved, the reality is, the Kansas Legislature did irreparable harm to the democracy of Kansas,” he said. The law was part of Republican-led efforts that they said would make Kansas elections more secure. The court affirmed another aspect of the law that limits how many advance ballots a person can collect. (Read more.)
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Kansas Lawmakers Could Address Additional Issues Outside of Tax Relief in Special Session
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS/KPR) — Kansas lawmakers will reconvene on June 18th for a special session in Topeka on tax relief, but they could also take up other issues. After a months-long battle with Democratic Governor Laura Kelly to reduce income and property taxes, some lawmakers are frustrated that Kelly’s vetoes have sent them into overtime. But June’s special session could also give other failed bills a second chance. Legislators could revive a plan to attract the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals across the state line, using tax incentives called STAR Bonds. Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins is not ruling out that possibility, but he says fiscal concerns will be top priority. “This special session is for taxes… it's absolutely not for all the wants that everybody has,” he added. Hawkins hopes the special session might only last one day. (Hear what the governor says about tax cuts and Medicaid expansion.)
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Political Newcomer Files to Run for Congressional Seat
UNDATED (KNS) – Political newcomer Shawn Tiffany has filed to run as a Republican for the 2nd District congressional seat in eastern Kansas. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas rancher and businessman Shawn Tiffany announced he was jumping into the Republican primary for the seat, using the hashtag “Cowboy to Congress.” He’s running as an unwavering conservative. Tiffany joins a contested race to replace Republican Jake LaTurner, who won’t run for reelection. At least two other Republicans will face Tiffany in an August primary. That includes Derek Schmidt, previously the Kansas Attorney General, and Jeff Kahrs, who has the endorsement of former governor Sam Brownback. Matt Kleinmann, a former KU basketball player, will run as a Democrat.
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Former Overland Park Police Officer Lands Job as Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (JoCoPost) – A former Overland Park police sergeant accused of mishandling charity funds has landed a new law enforcement job, one county over. The Johnson County Post reports that Tim Tinnin was one of four Overland Park officers accused of mishandling funds for a charity intended to help the families of fallen police officers. An audit found the officers disbursed thousands of dollars to themselves to pay for personal expenses. They were never charged with any crimes, but all four resigned from the Overland Park police department last year. In January, Tinnin was hired as a deputy in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Jay Armbrister said in a statement that a background check found evidence that Tinnin did, in fact, take charity money to help pay his family’s bills. But Armbrister says it was a mistake, and Tinnin deserves the “opportunity to show this is not who he is."
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Smallest School District in Kansas Close to Closure
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – The smallest school district in Kansas is on the verge of closing because of low student enrollment. The Kansas News Service reports that this trend could affect rural schools across the state. Healy Public Schools in western Kansas has seen student enrollment drop by nearly half since 2021. Only 21 students were enrolled this year. Projections from Wichita State University show rural counties in Kansas could lose up to half of their population in the next 50 years, further stressing school districts. Lawmakers passed a bill to stop funding from going to a school district with no students attending classes there. But that could complicate funding allocations as rural school districts consolidate or share students and resources. Healy Superintendent Jeff Jones declined to comment on the potential closure.
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Emerald Ash Borer Detected in Lyon County
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KPR) – Tree experts say the Emerald Ash Borer has been discovered in Lyon County. The Kansas Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of the damaging insect in Emporia last week. Lyon County is now the 14th county in Kansas confirmed to have the invasive insect. The beetle is responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states. The pest was first discovered in Kansas 12 years ago, in Wyandotte County.
The Emerald Ash Borer – as its name suggests – is a green, invasive, wood-boring beetle that kills ash trees by eating tissues under the bark. Adult beetles are known to emerge in mid-to-late-May. Tree experts at Kansas State University say early detection and proper treatment can save some of the infected trees.
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Another Lawsuit Filed in Connection with Marion County Newspaper Raid
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — Another lawsuit has been filed in connection with a raid by law enforcement in Marion, Kansas last summer. KMUW reports that former vice mayor Ruth Herbel has named several past and current city officials in her federal suit. She also is suing former police Chief Gideon Cody. Herbel’s home was searched along with the Marion County Record newspaper in August. Cody said at the time that police were investigating possible identity theft. A warrant for the search was later ruled invalid, and Cody resigned in October. Herbel and her husband are seeking damages in excess of $75 thousand dollars.
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Free Fishing in Kansas This Weekend
UNDATED (KNS) — People can fish for free in Kansas this weekend. The Kansas News Service reports that a fishing license won’t be required during the annual event. Traditionally, the first weekend in June has been designated as Free Fishing weekend in Kansas. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks says other fishing regulations like the length and number of fish you can catch each day are still in place. But a license isn’t required on June 1st and 2nd. After that, the cost of a license varies from just over $100 for a five-year resident license to a one-day license for $6. Non-residents pay more. People who are interested in fishing this weekend or getting a license can visit ksoutdoors.com for more information.
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Haskell Regents Oppose Development Near Wetlands, Seek Return of Hundreds of Acres to School Property
UNDATED (KNS) — The Haskell Indian Nations University regents are opposing development near the wetlands south of Lawrence. The Kansas News Service reports that the Haskell National Board of Regents fears damage to the wetland habitat. It also wants a ground-penetrating radar study to search for the remains of Native American children who died while fleeing forced boarding and cultural assimilation in the 1800s. Brittany Hall, president of the regents, said “...that was the time where children were taken away from their homes. They were stolen. They were not given a choice.” In addition, the Haskell regents are asking Baker University to return hundreds of acres of wetlands to the university. The federal government gave Baker University hundreds of acres of Haskell land for free in the 1960s. Baker declined to comment on the idea of returning the land.
Baker University trustees voted against selling part of the Baker Wetlands. But developers are still pursuing a separate 177 acre commercial and housing project that abuts the Baker Wetlands. The Army Corps of Engineers is considering a permit application.
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Saturday's Heritage Parade in Kansas City Kicks-Off Juneteenth Celebrations
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - The seventh annual Heritage Parade begins Saturday at 18th and Vine in Kansas City and kicks off a month filled with Juneteenth celebrations. JuneteenthKC organizers call this year's theme “The Resistance,'' to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people. Special performers include the Zulu Connection Stilt Dancers from New Orleans. Expect to see marching bands and other festival mainstays. The Heritage Parade begins at noon Saturday, closing roads in and around 18th and Vine.
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State of Kansas Partners with KU to Study Access to Maternal and Child Health Services
UNDATED (KNS) — Researchers are asking Kansans about their experiences accessing maternal and child health services. The Kansas News Service reports that they’re inviting residents to share feedback in Wichita on Friday, and in other cities next month. The listening tour is a joint project by the state health department and the University of Kansas. The feedback will help officials decide which programs to fund using a federal grant for improving maternal and child health. It currently supports programs that promote breastfeeding and safe sleep habits, and a review board that studies pregnancy-related deaths. Researchers say past sessions have shown many Kansans struggle to access prenatal care, healthy food and child care.
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Kansas DCF to Launch Program Getting Food to Kids During Summer Break
UNDATED (KNS) — Low-income Kansas families will soon receive help paying for groceries for their children during the summer break. The Kansas News Service reports that the state Department for Children and Families is launching a new program offering $120 per child who receives food assistance or foster care benefits during the school year. The money can be used with other welfare benefits, like food stamps. Carla Whiteside-Hicks of the Department for Children and Families says the funding is meant to help during the three months when children are not in school receiving regular meals. “These dollars just allow parents to continue providing nutritious food for their children when they're not at school,” she explained. The funding can be used to buy foods like fresh vegetables and meat. Eligible families will receive the money by the end of July.
(-Related-)
Federal Program Provides Free Meals for Kids Through Summertime
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) — Some schools and other sites across Kansas will offer free meals for kids this summer. The free meals are part of an annual program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For kids who rely on free meals at school, summer can be a hungry time. But again this summer, hundreds of sites across Kansas are serving free meals to anyone 18 or younger. Adrea Katzenmeier with the Wichita school district says the summer food program ensures that children won’t go hungry. Many sites serve breakfast and lunch. “That’s what we’re about, we’re about feeding kids. Some kids don’t have food at home, and this gives them the opportunity to have free food.” The meals are free for any child, and there’s no qualifying paperwork. To find a site in your area, call 866-3-HUNGRY, or text “food” to 3-0-4-3-0-4.
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GOP States: Federal Rule on Title IX Is a Ruse to Require Trans Sports Participation
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A new federal regulation protecting the rights of transgender students has prompted lawsuits from Republican states that say it would require them to allow transgender athletes to compete on school teams. But advocates say the lawsuits are premature since the rules unveiled last month for enforcing Title IX don't specifically address transgender athletes. The argument is the latest focus by Republicans on an issue they've rallied around during an election year. The new rules take effect in August and spell out that Title IX bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Biden administration has put on hold a plan to prohibit across-the-board bans on transgender athletes on school teams during an election year in which Republicans are rallying around restrictions on trans youths. But GOP state leaders are making sure voters know the issue is still on the table.
At least two dozen Republican-controlled states have sued over a different federal regulation being implemented to protect the rights of transgender students that they argue would require governments to allow transgender girls to play on girls teams.
The rule they are challenging doesn't specifically mention transgender athletes. It spells out that Title IX, the landmark 1972 law originally passed to address women's rights at schools and colleges receiving federal money, also bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Republicans now are trying to keep the focus on sports, appealing to parents' and athletes' sensitivities over fairness in competition. They have student athletes signing on as plaintiffs and appearing alongside attorneys general at news conferences announcing the lawsuits.
The states argue the new rule would open the door to forcing schools to allow transgender athletes to compete on teams aligning with their gender identity, even if the rule doesn’t say so specifically. They may have a point.
The new regulation “gives a pretty good sense that says, ‘You can’t have a rule that says if you’re transgender, you can’t participate,’” said Harper Seldin, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which has represented trans athletes in unrelated cases.
He said that while he hopes separate sports-related regulations will back that up, that's not yet clear.
Advocates for transgender athletes say the GOP officials' claims are more rooted in politics than reality and are aimed more at undercutting litigation against state restrictions on transgender athletes. “It is puzzling that these folks are talking about challenging a rule that does not do what they say is the thing they’re objecting to,” said Cathryn Oakley, senior director of legal policy for the Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group. “It’s pretty hard to see how they can expect to be taken seriously when they don’t see to know what the content of the rule they’re challenging is.”
And many transgender youths and their families say restrictions unfairly paint trans athletes as a risk. Erik Cole-Johnson, a New Hampshire father who spoke against a proposed ban, said being able to compete in cross-country running and Nordic skiing has allowed his daughter to flourish. “My daughter’s not a boogeyman; my daughter’s not a threat,” Cole-Johnson told a state Senate panel in April as it heard the bill, now on Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk. “Transgender girls are not a threat.”
New Hampshire is not among the states challenging the rule. The GOP challenges have been filed in several federal circuit courts in hopes that one will halt the new rule before it takes effect in August. Several states, including Arkansas and Oklahoma, have also said they don't plan to comply.
The White House originally planned to include a new policy forbidding schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes, but that was put on hold in what was widely seen as a political move to avert controversy before the fall election. The Education Department said it has received more than 150,000 public comments on the athletics policy but didn't give a timeline for release of the rule.
A lawsuit filed by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said the lack of guidance on athletics in the rule that instead is taking effect is a “red herring,” given the department’s default position that Title IX doesn’t allow discrimination based on sex.
Many states challenging the rule have also enacted laws placing restrictions on transgender athletes, as well as on the restrooms and changing rooms they can use or pronouns they can be addressed by at school, policies that could also be voided by the regulations. “I don’t want any girl to lose her right to a fair playing field or her right to use a safe place to change,” said Amelia Ford, a high school basketball player from Brookland, Arkansas, who is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Missouri challenging the enacted rule.
In the discussion over trans people competing in sports in line with their gender identity, each side points to limited research that backs their viewpoints about whether trans women and girls have an edge over cisgender women and girls.
By some accounts, given the relatively small population of transgender people — a bit over 1% of all people ages 13-24 nationwide, according to estimates by UCLA Law's Williams Institute — and the even lower number of those who compete, disputes over fairness in school sports don't appear to be widespread. Many lawmakers who have pushed for athletic bans haven't cited examples in their own states, instead pointing to a handful of high-profile cases elsewhere, such as swimmer Lia Thomas.
When Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order refusing to comply with the latest Title IX regulations, she was joined by former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who was among more than a dozen college athletes who sued the NCAA for allowing Thomas to compete at the national championships in 2022.
The lawsuits also come as GOP states try to get the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on their restrictions on transgender athletes. West Virginia is appealing a ruling that allowed a transgender athlete to compete on her middle school teams. The ruling last month from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the ban violated the student's rights under Title IX. “Many of these cases are premature and certainly just trying to undercut the basic notion that trans students are protected under Title IX and attempting to continue the exclusions that we have seen in states across the country with respect to athletics,” said Paul Castillo, an attorney with Lambda Legal.
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Biden Hosts the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs and Breaks Unofficial Rule About Headwear
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden welcomed the Kansas City Chiefs to the White House on Friday, lauding the back-to-back Super Bowl champion team for its sportsmanship on and off the field, and breaking an unofficial political rule about headwear. He tried on a Chiefs helmet the team gave him as a gift.
“It was cool to see him put the helmet on,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes told reporters after the celebration held on the South Lawn. “We didn't expect that. But it was really cool to see him throw that Chiefs helmet on and you get that Chiefs kingdom kind of for the rest of the nation to see.”
The Democratic president recalled that he said at last year's celebration for the Chiefs that they are building a “dynasty.” He noted the struggles they overcame last season on the road to the Super Bowl and said, “I don't think anybody's doubting you know.”
He noted the shooting in February at Kansas City's parade and rally honoring the team, which killed a mother of two and host of a local radio program.
“We saw pride give way to tragedy,” Biden said, adding that, “amid the chaos this team stepped up.”
“‘This team is exceptional,” the president said, adding that the country as a whole must “do more to stop the tragic shootings before they happen.”
Biden recognized the Chiefs after their come-from-behind overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas in February. It's a longstanding tradition for championship sports teams, both professional and collegiate, to be invited to the White House.
In 2023, the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, first lady Jill Biden's favorite football team. She grew up near Philadelphia and attended the game. Kansas City defeated San Francisco to claim the 2024 Super Bowl title.
Kicker Harrison Butker, who made headlines by assailing some of Biden's policies during a commencement speech earlier this month, accompanied his teammates to the White House. Butker recently defended his comments, saying he had no regrets about expressing his beliefs.
In the May 16 speech at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, Butker congratulated the women who were receiving degrees and said most of them were probably more excited about getting married and having children.
He criticized some of Biden's policy positions, including the president's condemnation of the Supreme Court’s reversal of its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Abortion is an issue that Biden and his fellow Democrats hope to use to their advantage in the November elections.
Butker also tackled Biden’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many had hoped to see Taylor Swift, tight end Travis Kelce's girlfriend, but she didn't make an appearance. Swift has been traveling abroad on her Eras tour and had a show on Thursday in Madrid.
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K-State Faces Louisiana Tech in NCAA Baseball Tourney
UNDATED (KPR) — The K-State baseball team plays its first NCAA tournament game tonight (FRI) in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Wildcats open against Louisiana Tech at 7 pm. K-state has an overall record of 32-24 and is a No. 3 seed in the regional baseball tournament.
Wildcats coach Pete Hughes says he places a lot of importance on the regional opener. "It’s critical to win Game One in these things. You’ve got to stay out of the losing bracket. When you’re a 3-seed, you’re going to play a really good opponent," he said.
K-State is making its first tournament appearance since 2013 and the first under Hughes, who’s in his sixth year. If the Wildcats win this regional, they’ll advance to a best-of-three series against the winner of the Charlottesville, Virginia, regional next weekend.
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KC Chiefs Lineman Isaiah Buggs Faces Animal Cruelty Charges in Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs has turned himself in to the Tuscaloosa County Jail on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges. Buggs was later released on $600 bond for two counts of cruelty to dogs in the second degree. The Tuscaloosa Police Department found two dogs that were “seriously malnourished” and “emaciated” March 28 on the back porch of a house that Buggs had rented, according to court documents. Court filings reported that a neighbor said a pitbull and a Rotweiller mix had been left there for at least 10 days and had no access to food or water.
The pitbull was eventually euthanized. Witnesses said Buggs had moved out of the house on or about March 19. A Chiefs spokesman said the team was aware of the situation, but declined to comment.
Buggs' agent, Trey Robinson, issued a statement this week saying that the player “vehemently denies” the allegations and that the dogs didn't belong to him. “Under no circumstances does Mr. Buggs condone the mistreatment of any animal,” Robinson said, declining to answer further questions.
Robinson said Buggs didn't know they were still on the property and is the target of a “subversive campaign” to shut down a hookah lounge he owns.
The 27-year-old Buggs is a former Alabama player who spent three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and two with the Detroit Lions. He joined the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in January as a practice squad player and received a futures contract in February.
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Big 12 Will Distribute Record $470 Million, Though 10 Full-Share Members Getting a Little Less
IRVING, Texas (AP) — Big 12 schools will share in a record $470 million in revenue distribution, the conference announced Friday when wrapping up its first spring meetings as a 14-team league and before growing by two more teams.
While the 10 full-share members will get smaller amounts than they got last year because of the addition of the four schools that joined the league for the 2023-24 academic year, Commissioner Brett Yormark said the conference is more relevant than it has ever been.
“We went stability as a conference and we felt it was investing in all the right ways and for all the right reasons,” Yormark said. “Clearly that was the right one for this conference as we think about where we’re going.”
First-year members BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF each will get partial shares of about $18 million each. That leaves about $398 million to be split among the league's other 10 schools, including Oklahoma and Texas before they move this summer to the Southeastern Conference.
About $440 million was distributed last year.
The Big 12 will grow to 16 teams with the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah from the Pac-12, officially on Aug. 1. The four incoming schools took part in this week's meetings, while Oklahoma and Texas did not.
Yormark said the increases came as a result of bigger College Football Playoff and bowl revenues, growth in ticket revenue across all of the conference championships and sponsorship after streamlining that to be handled directly by the conference instead of using outside parties.
According to tax filings released last week, the five power conferences generated $3.55 billion in the 2022-23 fiscal year, with the Big Ten reporting revenue of $879.9 million compared with $852.6 million for the SEC. The ACC saw the most significant increase, going from $617 million in 2021-22 to $707 million.
The Pac-12, which will see 10 of its 12 members disperse to other conferences in 2024-25, generated $603.9 million. The Big 12 was fifth at $510.7 million, which was before distributions when it was still only a 10-member league.
Like the other leagues, the Big 12 is preparing for big changes after news of a landmark $2.8 billion settlement that will transform how athletes are compensated. The power conferences last week agreed to settle a host of antitrust claims that could start steering millions of dollars directly to athletes as soon as the 2025 fall semester.
“I think we ended up in a fair and reasonable place,” Yormark said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a changing landscape. But I also do see opportunities in that changing landscape, and the work really starts now. A lot of work to be done. I look at this as a bit of a reset for our industry. And we’re prepared for that. The ADs, myself, the board, we’ve been discussing that reset for quite some time. So it’s not coming as a surprise.”
When he became the Big 12 commissioner two summers ago, Yormark was an executive with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and a former CEO of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets. He spent almost 15 years with the Nets, overseeing the club’s move from New Jersey and construction of the Barclays Center, and previously was with NASCAR, where he oversaw a $750 million agreement with Nextel Communications for naming rights to the circuit’s top racing series.
“Since I took this job, you know, I said from day one, I was open for business. And I guess you could say we’re open for business now more so than ever before,” Yormark said. “When I think about my background, I certainly do believe that collegiate athletics is shifting, more closely to where I came from than where we are today.”
Unlike when he first got to the Big 12, “open for business” this time isn't a reference to any further expansion plans.
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