Big 12 in 2016

[Lobot]

Time time to reboot this for the new year. There is a NCAA vote coming on Jan. 15 re: the ability of the the Big 12 to hold a championship game with 10 teams. That measure is expected to fail due to opposition from the Pac 12 and B1G. The failure of this vote could cause several scenarios:

1) The Big 12 would be forced to expand. Current rumor mill seems to be focused on BYU and UC despite the Big 12 public stance that BYU is not on the radar. One thing I'm reading which may or may not be credible is that we are the preferred team in an expansion but that we do not have the necessary votes inside the Big 12 to get us in at this point.

2) The Big 12 does nothing and the ACC gobbles up teams from the American + WVU to go to 16 teams and 4 divisions.

3) The Big 12 eventually folds resulting in an all out raid which would would probably see OU and Kansas going to the B1G, Texas going independent and everyone else picking up the pieces.

In related news The Longhorn Network supposedly posted a $50M loss this year. I'm betting ESPN isn't too happy with Texas at the moment.

[coach]

10m split 10 ways over 8 years is without a doubt less than they likely would have been able to negotiate with the new schools to share on the expansion.

[longtimefan]

I may be wrong but I see it this way. Houston was the wrench in the whole deal. Remember Texas governor Greg Abbot's comment "no expansion without Houston". If this process had been two years ago Houston would never have been a candidate at all, but the fact that they managed to put together one good season was enough for the politicians to get involved. The problem is that outside Texas nobody wanted Houston and they were never going to secure the eight votes needed; never. It still may have been UC and BYU or UConn but Texas simply would not consider expansion without Houston and that was enough; the other Texas schools joined them. In the end Texas got what they really wanted and rammed it down Oklahoma's throat again. When Boren realized he was beaten by Texas, he started blabbing to make it look like no expansion was actually his idea. Texas showed Oklahoma who's boss, and that's all there is to it. Of course it wasn't really unanimous but the extra $$ from ESPN made the status quo easier to accept for all involved.

As for Bowlsby claiming expansion candidates "thought they were treated respectfully" that's as big a bunch of manure as the supposed "unanimous" decision not to expand.

[Greg7173]

http://www.espn.com/college-football...tay-10-members

What a pile of horse manure!!

[Lobot]

http://www.espn.com/college-football...tay-10-members

[Lobot]

Somebody pulled the data out and it's 10 million from ESPN over the remaining life of the contract.

[Lobot]

Sport Business Journal is reporting that Fox will not pay to remove the pro rata part of the contract that would have been due if the Big 12 expanded. ESPN on the other hand is going to pay $125K per year per school to the Big 12 to ditch the pro rata in the contract and not expand. Hard to tell who screwed us over more in this, the Big 12 or ESPN.


Link is subscription only: https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/...es/Big-12.aspx

[bearcatbret]

Well, I think that this guy finally says something smart. http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/10/19/13322922/big-12-expansion-results-fallout-conference-realignment

[coach]

I like how even though ESPN didn't want them to expand they are still calling the Big12 stupid for not expanding. ESPN is hoping they disband the conference ASAP

Espn at this point will do anything to save money, that ship is taking on water on a daily basis.

[longtimefan]

I'd bet money that Iowa State supported our candidacy.

Nope. I'll stand by what I said. And if Iowa State ever needs to get in the AAC, which is likely, I'd vote no on taking them.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-foot...ent-iowa-state

[Chewbacca2099]

I like how even though ESPN didn't want them to expand they are still calling the Big12 stupid for not expanding. ESPN is hoping they disband the conference ASAP

[blackattack]

The last chapter got a rewrite already. http://www.espn.com/college-football...earlier-divide

LOL. Am I the only one that noticed that their list of "Do's" is all lies, and their list of "Don'ts" is all true?........especially the part about TV money not influencing their decision.
The good part about this is that EVERYONE sees right through what they did. Just look at how the press is skewering them. I love it

[Lobot]

The last chapter got a rewrite already. http://www.espn.com/college-football...earlier-divide

[coach]

I don't think the last chapter of this story has been written yet. Think about Byu's situation as they are clearly competitive right now. Hopefully the relevant g5 schools will get their act together(regardless of mwc, aac, etc) and come up with a conjoined plan for fball and bball and quit looking at the p5. Develop the product, as it's always been the best path. If you have a good product, their will be suitors out there with tv money.

[bobestes]

I'd bet money that Iowa State supported our candidacy.

My last comment on the Big 12. I just wish we could get out of playing at Iowa State on December 1. I was actually thinking of going to that game but how would I ever get the Big 12 stench smell washed off afterwards. At least I hope we beat the h3ll out of them.