Amid the controversy surrounding the new glass LED court at the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament, conference commissioner Brett Yormark has weighed in on the matter. Despite being a fan of the new court, Yormark feels that it still needs some refinement before it can be used.
On Thursday night, the decision was made to ditch the glass LED court and replace it with the traditional hardwood court for the semifinals and final of the Big 12 tournament.
Big 12 LED Court Slipping Issues Highlighted by Veterans and Players
Yormark appeared on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Friday to share his thoughts on the matter. Despite reiterating that he was a fan of the court and the concept, he said that some things need to be tweaked before the court can be used in the future.
“I’m still a lover of the LED court based on what it can do,” Yormark said. “It was brought to life certainly throughout the women’s and men’s [events]. That being said, I said to the owner last night that they’ve gotta go back to the lab and refine some things.”
“Candidly, they’ve gotta go back to the lab and figure [it] out. Nothing is perfect in life. They’ve gotta refine it. We’re going to stay in touch with them. But I am an innovator, and I believe in trying to be different and lean into that point of differentiation. That’s what we did,” he added.
“I still love the LED court because of what it can do..
I told the owner last night that they’ve gotta go back to the lab and refine some things” @brettyormark #PMSLive https://t.co/yYhlkYxCPk pic.twitter.com/h7XZVIjjeG — Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 13, 2026
The LED glass courts came under scrutiny as the Big 12 tournament kicked off. The innovation was criticized by players and fans alike. Some players called the court “bad” and “slippery,” while Kansas State’s Khamari McGriff told beat reporter Wyatt Wheeler that the court gave him “migraine-like symptoms.”
Asked about the decision to bring in LED courts for the Big 12 tournament in the first place, Yormark defended the move and said the reversal to hardwood courts was a “judgment call.”
“Anytime you innovate, there’s going to be risk. You know that going in. It’s fair to say that you never expect 100% buy-in. That being said, there were mixed reviews. Some players liked it, some didn’t. There was discussion about making adjustments, about potential slippage,” Yormark said.
“Following the games yesterday, I met with the four semifinal coaches and I had encouraging feedback all week. We decided last night the conversation should be about the teams and not the court. I made that decision ultimately, following the feedback I had received, and I feel good about it,” he added.
The Big 12 tournament championship game takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. Top-seeded Arizona faced No. 5 Iowa State in Friday’s first semifinal, while No. 2 Houston met No. 3 Kansas in the nightcap.
