On Wednesday, the Big 12 partnered with the NFL to launch a new pro day experience, the Big 12 Pro Day.
Beginning in 2024, the Big 12 will host a conference-wide pro day for its member schools’ football college athletes. The event will be the first-ever conference-wide pro day.
Beyond the ability to showcase their football talents to NFL scouts, participants will engage in a job fair and non-football career networking opportunities.
The event will take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The Star is the world headquarters and practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys.
Traditionally held at individual universities and limited to college athletes at a respective school, pro days are insular events. By taking the pro day out of the individual campus environment and moving it onto one of the largest stages in sports–the Cowboys’ facility–the Big 12 expands its football footprint in a major way.
Amidst a period of conference realignment, the Big 12 is creating value for members and college athletes alike. In November, the conference formed the Big 12 Business Advisory Board. Comprised of members across entertainment, finance, Fortune 500 companies and more, the advisory board provides counsel to the conference and mentors students at Big 12 schools. The Big 12 Pro Day provides advisory board members a unique opportunity to engage with and mentor premier Big 12 football college athletes.
The event also presents a revenue generating opportunity for the conference, as the Big 12 will host the Big 12 Fan Fest at The Star. The event will feature VIP appearances, fan engagement experiences and a live broadcast of NFL Network coverage of the pro day.
Finally, the new structure of the event creates important broadcast exposure for the conference. The NFL Network will capture drill performances and workouts and package the content into nightly content covered on the NFL Network. Content from the pro day will also be distributed across the NFL’s digital and social channels. This creates value for members whose pro days may otherwise not receive as vast of media coverage.
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