Midwest Dairy returned as a proud partner of the Big 12 Conference for the 2025–2026 collegiate sports season, using major championship events to build trust in dairy and keep it front and center with sports fans. The partnership continues to spotlight dairy during basketball and wrestling championships and includes Midwest Dairy’s role as presenting partner of the popular Big 12 Eats program.
By connecting dairy with college sports, Midwest Dairy meets consumers where they already gather and celebrate, linking dairy to energy, enjoyment, and everyday food choices.
Expanding the Partnership Through Collaboration
New last fall, Midwest Dairy partnered with Dairy MAX to expand dairy’s presence at the Big 12 women’s soccer and football championship events held in Texas. This collaborative approach increased the partnership’s footprint and created more opportunities to share dairy’s story with fans across multiple states.
The Big 12 Conference includes 16 member universities, six of which are in Dairy MAX’s region. Working together allowed both organizations to reach more fans while keeping dairy messaging consistent and trusted across the conference.
Big Wins at the Football Championship
On December 6, 2025, the Big 12 Football Championship at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX drew 85,519 fans, setting a conference attendance record. More than 29,000 people passed through the Fan Fest area, where dairy took center stage through interactive and hands-on experiences.
Fans engaged with a 360-degree video booth and enjoyed 1,000 samples of macaroni and cheese, showing how dairy can be both fun and functional for game day. The mix of sampling, giveaways, and interactive elements created a memorable experience that highlighted dairy’s role in great-tasting food and active lifestyles.
Dairy on the Menu and on Social Media
Dairy also played a starring role through Big 12 Eats, the conference’s premium game-day menu. Two featured items, The Matador Melt and Cosmo’s Pastrami Crunch, showcased cheese as a key ingredient tied to team culture and fan traditions.
These menu items were featured on jumbo screens during the game, and fans joined in a “say cheese” moment during an in-game fan cam. The Big 12 later reshared a fan-made Instagram Reel about the menu, helping amplify dairy’s presence online. In total, dairy-related social content generated 226,700 impressions and 2,900 engagements.
Where Dairy Shows Up Next
The partnership continues this spring with championship tournaments in Kansas City for women’s basketball (March 4–8) and men’s basketball (March 10–14), and in Tulsa for wrestling (March 6–7).