The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[beefytee]

So if adding Louisville will be the Big 12's bridge to WV then who will be the bridge to BYU in the Longhorn Nation?

Louisville: The bridge to nowhere.

[kccougar]

Gwaim again saying BYU to the Big12, but BYU wants to go in 2014 and not 2013.

[Portland Ute]

Louisville: The bridge to nowhere.

Love will build a bridge.

[PolyCougar]

Gwaim again saying BYU to the Big12, but BYU wants to go in 2014 and not 2013.

If true, it would make sense to try to cash in on a pretty schedule one last time with ESPN, before buying our way out of all the contracts.

[TripletDaddy]

Neinas sez: you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/45986/qa-big-12s-chuck-neinas-on-expansion

CN: ...We're very stable for a lot of reasons, and you can't ignore the fact that every one of the 10 signed a grant of rights, which means that the conference now has their television rights, so that puts us in a very secure position going forward.

DU: That was officially executed, correct?

CN: Oh, yes.

DU: When were the official documents actually signed?

CN: It was done. I can't remember -- I can't give you the date, but of course West Virginia was the last one to sign it over, but they're all in...

[myboynoah]

Neinas sez: you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_...s-on-expansion

It doesn't sound like ESPN is fully convinced that the schools have signed.

[Paperback Writer]

CN: ...We're very stable for a lot of reasons, and you can't ignore the fact that every one of the 10 signed a grant of rights, which means that the conference now has their television rights, so that puts us in a very secure position going forward.

DU: That was officially executed, correct?

CN: Oh, yes.

DU: When were the official documents actually signed?

CN: It was done. I can't remember -- I can't give you the date, but of course West Virginia was the last one to sign it over, but they're all in...

Anyone know how the Longhorn Network (LHN) operates now that the Big 12 owns each school's TV rights? Something doesn't seem right. On its way out the door, Nebraska asked that each school grant its rights to the conference but Texas said No. Then Texas announced the LHN and ESPN deal. Texas A&M left for the SEC over the LHN/ESPN deal. And now everyone has signed on the dotted line and the LHN still exists and there's no Big 12 network to speak of??? What exactly does the Big 12 own in respect to TV rights? Tier 3 games not aired on the LHN with no conference network to televise them?

[Uncle Ted]

Anyone know how the Longhorn Network (LHN) operates now that the Big 12 owns each school's TV rights? Something doesn't seem right. On its way out the door, Nebraska asked that each school grant its rights to the conference but Texas said No. Then Texas announced the LHN and ESPN deal. Texas A&M left for the SEC over the LHN/ESPN deal. And now everyone has signed on the dotted line and the LHN still exists and there's no Big 12 network to speak of??? What exactly does the Big 12 own in respect to TV rights? Tier 3 games not aired on the LHN with no conference network to televise them?

What's the Longhorn Network? I haven't seen that.

[Paperback Writer]

What's the Longhorn Network? I haven't seen that.

It's that UT Network that only Verizon Fios has picked up and not their main competitor who has its HQ in the same city as the Big 12 HQ. Still scratching my head on that one.

It's all water under the bridge now. But I still wonder what would have occurred if the Big 12 would have acted differently. I don't think it could have prevented Colorado and Nebraska leaving but it should have woke up and at least started talking about a Big 12 network and expanding back to 12 teams. IMO, that would have kept A&M and Missouri in the fold along with adding TCU and BYU.

[Uncle Ted]

It worked...

DSB has also learned from sources with knowledge of the situation, that while BYU continues to flesh out its schedule as an independent, it is also aggressively pursuing full membership in the Big 12 Conference for all of its athletic programs.

BYU has been involved in continued discussions with the Big 12 and its member schools for sometime now, even after the conference added TCU and West Virginia this past fall to replace Texas A&M and Missouri, both of which defected to the SEC.

In fact, discussions between BYU and the Big 12 go back to 2010, when the conference was reduced to ten teams after losing Nebraska and Colorado to the Big Ten and PAC-12 respectively.

Talks between the two parties have ramped up over the past couple of weeks however, with discussions revolving around the possibility of BYU and Louisville being added in time for the 2013-14 athletics season. Such a move would get the conference back to its original number of 12 member schools, and provide it with the opportunity to hold a championship game for football in December of 2013.

For BYU's part, university officials have apparently taken a much more proactive approach during the most recent round of discussions. BYU is reportedly indicating a willingness to bring all of its programs into the league this time around, something that the school had apparently hedged on in past discussions.

Multiple media sources covering the Big 12 reported during last football season that BYU had been "difficult" to negotiate with and that key members of the school's leadership were digging in their heels on certain issues.

Rumors circulated that some members of the BYU Board of Trustees were sensitive to just up and bolting on the faith-based group of schools in the WCC, which had provided a home for most of BYU's programs when the Cougars departed the Mountain West Conference to become an independent in football.

It's unlikely that we will see any official announcement regarding expansion of the Big 12 until the conference decides on a new commissioner. League presidents fired former commissioner Dan Bebee in September of last year and replaced him with Chuck Neinas on an interim basis.

But money talks in the end.

[Jacob]

I'm still calling BS on BYU's alleged refusal to bring all sports to the B12 (unless it was due to Sunday play).

[Portland Ute]

It worked...



But money talks in the end.

Maybe if ND's Swarbrick is named the Big12 commissioner, BYU's much ballyhooed "friendship" with ND will finally pay dividends.

[TripletDaddy]

I'm still calling BS on BYU's alleged refusal to bring all sports to the B12 (unless it was due to Sunday play).

It makes some sense. The ink on the WCC deal was still wet and BYU announces a departure. I can see BYU deciding to stay put for at least a season or two in order to not look entirely opportunistic. I'm not saying I agree, but I can see it playing it out that way.

[TripletDaddy]

Tramel sez: SMU, no; BYU, yes!

http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2012/03/03/big-12-expansion-smu-is-not-a-candidate/

West Virginia makes financial sense for the Big 12. Missouri and Texas A&M make financial sense for the SEC. Nebraska made financial sense for the Big Ten. Syracuse and Pittsburgh make financial sense for the ACC.


TCU probably is a financial stretch for the Big 12, but the Big 12 needed a solid replacement for A&M. Colorado and Utah probably were financial stretches for the Pac-12, but the Pac-12 needed two new schools to play a conference championship game.


Brigham Young would make financial sense for the Big 12. Louisville, Cincinnati, Rutgers, Houston, all would be questionable financially but range from probably would pay off (Louisville, Rutgers) to probably wouldn’t (Cincinnati, Houston). Of course, those other criteria come into play, too, which changes the viability in certain ways.


But New Mexico? Southern Miss? SMU? They don’t work. They don’t work at all.

[Red Legger]

TCU=big mistake.

Tramel sez: SMU, no; BYU, yes!

http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2...t-a-candidate/

Biggest mistake made in this game yet. Probably screws the Big 12 outta the Colorado market for good. We haven't even started playing TCU, and I'm bored w/ them. WVU and their flaming couches is fascinating. BYU and their thousands of wives is fascinating. TCU is like Baylor, and we've long tired of that act. At least the Baptists get worked up about the Mormons. The Horned Frogs can't even spare that little bit of effort

Rock Chalk Jayhawk, Beat Mizzou