The Big 12 conference will hose exhibition games in Mexico in 2023

The GIST: The Big 12 is heading to the U.S.’ favorite WFH destination. Yesterday, it launched Big 12 Mexico, which will see the college sports conference host several exhibition games in the country and become the first of its NCAA counterparts to build a presence outside of the States.

The details: Big 12 Mexico tips off in December 2024 with a set of women’s and men’s basketball games in Mexico City, while baseball, football, and women’s soccer are also in the cards. The conference will also launch an influencer marketing campaign to promote itself in the country.

• ESPN and Fox will air Big 12 football and basketball in Mexico during the 2023–24 season to gauge local interest, and the conference is also teasing the idea of Spanish-language broadcasts for their championships. Bilingual love.

The context: Mexico is no stranger to American sports — the NFL, NBA, and MLB have all hosted games there — but joins a long list of new international hosts for college sports. NCAA basketball players spent Thanksgiving in the Bahamas, football will make a pitstop in Ireland in August, and women’s hoops will rendezvous in Paris this November.

• Big 12 Mexico, though, goes further than just hosting exhibition matches. The conference has identified the country as a long-term business destination with broadcast and marketing strategies.

Zooming out: A global presence allows the Big 12 to add new revenue streams, like sponsorships and an international broadcast deal. The conference will also be able to capitalize on the global rise of women’s sports, especially women’s soccer — Mexico is emerging as a hotbed for the sport. ¡Golazo!