BYUtv Partners With Big 12 for Football Media Days Production

Produced onsite at The Star in Frisco, TX, live coverage of the two-day event airs on ESPN platforms

The season for Football Media Days is here, and the Big 12 is the first FBS (formerly, Division I-A) conference to kick off the annual midsummer tradition.

The two-day event at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, TX, begins Tuesday, with live coverage across ESPN platforms, including 11 a.m.-3 p.m. ET on ESPNU and 3 p.m.-4 p.m. on ESPN2 today. On Wednesday, five hours (11 a.m.-4 p.m. on ESPNU rounds out the coverage.

ESPN anchor Kevin Connors will serve as studio-show host alongside analysts Louis Riddick and Dusty Dvoracek and reporters Jen Lada and Sydney Jones.

For 2026, the Big 12 is expanding its Football Media Days partnership with BYUtv, which will produce the ESPN studio shows across the broadcaster's platforms with simulcasts on BYUtv and Big 12 Studios.

This year also marks the first time Big 12 Football Media Days will be distributed internationally on Disney+ as the conference continues to focus on global distribution and provide brand visibility internationally. Each day will feature multiple hours of coverage on the streaming platform.

BYUtv has been an important partner in helping us elevate our storytelling, expand our production capabilities, and create new opportunities to showcase our student athletes and programs, says Kauri Black, VP, broadcast and emerging platforms, Big 12, describing the conference's Football Media Days as one of our most important tentpole events.

From left: Kevin Connors hosts the studio show, and analysts Louis Riddick and Dusty Dvoracek interview UCF head coach Scott Frost during the ESPNU broadcast of Big 12 Football Media Days on Tuesday.Says Dave Phillips Jr., head of sports broadcasting, BYUtv, As an independent football team, we were able to produce media days for BYU Football for 12 years and are excited to be back doing it again on a bigger scale.

We are excited to show that we are able to partner with other universities, he continues, and to give students an opportunity to work on high-level shows. Our goal is to help raise the next generation of broadcasters. BYUtv has worked with the Big 12 on Women's Volleyball and Softball Media Days, too.

Inside the Production

Black says he reviewed last year's Big 12 Football Media Days coverage and, with Commissioner Brett Yormark's message of refinement over reimagination, identified multiple areas for refinement. I recognized some opportunity costs where a more focused production approach could have further elevated the experience for our student-athletes and fans.

The takeaway was clear, he continues. We needed to bifurcate the production model. By hiring one packager to manage the studio production and a separate packager to support the main-stage press conferences, we are better positioned to make this year's coverage the best one to date.

He also saw an opportunity to double-down on the school-control-room model and leverage one of the conference's campus production teams in BYUtv. The conference partnered with BYUtv to manage the television production, and Jeff Watts Productions (JWP) and its 11-person crew provided the press-conference feed for ESPN. Approximately 35 people are working on the overall production.

For us, says Black, it is about elevating the quality, reach, and impact of our tentpole events while continuing to find meaningful ways to support our member institutions.

BYUtv's 53-ft. production trailer is onsite in Texas to support coverage, with all the events produced locally from The Star. A daily show dedicated to BYU sports will also be integrated with BYUtv's studio in Provo, UT via LiveU video-transmission technology, according to Phillips.

BYUtv's camera complement for the production includes six Sony HDC-4300 4K units, a jib version to move between sets, and a Ronin 4D. Multiple beauty POV cameras will also be deployed. Telestrators will be used by Riddick and Dvoracek to break down game film and analyze players' on-field attributes.

Last year, we introduced the telestrator, and it became one of the strongest elements of the show, says Black. This year, we are building on that momentum by expanding the concept beyond quarterbacks.

Jones, who is aBig 12 digital contributor, worked with BYUtvon pre-packaged sit-down interviews with some of the Big 12's top quarterbacks, such as Noah Fifita (Arizona), Devon Dampier (Utah), and Bear Bachmeier (BYU). Jones will also capture live-to-tape interviews throughout the venue and showcase student athletes in a more natural, dynamic way beyond the studio set, Black says.

One of our top priorities, he adds, is humanizing student-athletes and spotlighting the positive impact they are making beyond the field, especially in today's NIL landscape. All three [quarterbacks interviewed] are coming off terrific seasons and represent the type of leadership, personality, and competitive excellence we want to amplify across Big 12 Football Media Days.

BYUtv traveled to several conference schools to speak with players about their leadership style and what to expect in 2026. The interviews are available to watch on-demand via the conference's YouTube channel.

Eighteen full-time employees from BYUtv are working on the Football Media Days production; TCU also provided six students to fill in different positions. BYUtv worked with students in Provo to edit B-roll footage, brainstormed storylines to incorporate into the shows, created graphics for the production.

The university-control-room model, notes Phillips, has opened up a lot of opportunities for students and staff to work on higher-level productions generally reserved for networks.

In addition to Black, Big 12 personnel involved in the Football Media Days production include Chief Foo

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