The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[YOhio]

MHVer3 and The Dude of WV had a falling out a while ago. The Dude of WV thinks MHVer3 is a total attention whore and makes up gossip just to get followers and the Dude has more integrity than that. He just won't make up shit to make people happy and I appreciate that about him. I think I'm on his side on this one, even though I really want BYU to join the Big 12.

[Blueintheface]

Would anyone mind posting what it says in the link?

Here you go.

DISCLAIMER: the following post contains rumor and speculation

The Big12 is going to be at an extreme disadvantage in regards to playoff selection if it remains in it's current format. 9 conference games in round robin sounds like the best way to prove who is the best in the conference, right? Maybe in the 1980's but that was before the BCS era taught conferences how to count the cards, play the system. With the elimination of computers and the reintroduction of human bias and error, the rules to playing the system are evolving again right before our eyes and the Big12 is at a crossroads here.
Choosing to stay at 10 teams with round-robin scheduling will work out just fine in the years that one team manages to go undefeated. With schedule strength an undefeated Big12 team is all but a lock for a playoff spot. How many times has the round-robin B12 produced an undefeated team? And what about the years our champ has 1 loss or, God forbid 2? Even now the other conferences are posturing away, creating safe schedules, trumpeting the strength of their Championship Games, and even publicly downgrading BYU-a potential scheduling partner with the Big12 a la Notre Dame and the ACC. Oklamaha's Athletic Director has seen the writing on the wall-the Big12 must expand or it will become extinct.
Expansion will address 3 things: more inventory created, more scheduling freedom(if needed), and increased market presence. If we expand at all it will be just 1 or 2 schools to start. There is preliminary interest from 2 schools in AZ but other than that no other schools from a Power5 conference are on our radar. Adding just one schools would likely see the B12 stay at round-robin(10 games) with the possibility of a CCG.
The ACC has been pushing hard for deregulation in regards to how a conference chooses it's champion. Their goal is two-fold: create manageable schedules for their top 1/4 and give ND a vehicle to get to their CCG. With arguably the weakest conference from the middle down, the ACC has need to keep their strength-of-schedule high so they along with the SEC announced their initiative to mandate each team play an out-of-conference match-up vs a "BCS" quality opponent: i.e. the Power5. This is great in theory as it will surely show is how the ACC looks vs the other P5....except that's not how it's going to work out. Just like the B10 is trying to do, the ACC want to keep as many Match-ups in house as possible. The perceived strength of the ACC will be higher if they mostly play each other with favorable schedules for the traditional "powers". Allowing conferences to play OOC games vs each other benefits the larger conferences and hurts the smaller ones that beat each other up with round-robin schedules by thinning out possible OOC match-ups. The B12, which was in the middle of working out a scheduling agreement with BYU, took yet another slap in the face when both the ACC and SEC announced that BYU was unworthy of being a "BCS level opponent". And that's when the dam at BYU broke.
For 3 years now the Big12 and BYU have been in constant communication. BYU was the first choice for replacement schools that the B12 wanted. Fox was against the idea originally because BYU is not an easy partner to deal with historically and anecdotally speaking. Espn was against it because they needed to find WVU a home as promised(ACC couldn't get WVU voted in with 4 votes in 3 weeks) and were working on a deal with BYU at the time that would land them most of BYU's top content at a great discount vs what they were going to be paying ND(apples and apples). So B12 added
TCU and WVU, B10 added MD and RU, ACC added UL and ND, and here we are. But the lines of communication between BYU and the B12 remained open. The Big12 recently commissioned a study to gauge their tv value in one decade. The study came back showing that if BYU and at least one other school with either a large market presence or a large DMA were added then the TV value would be 35-45 million per school. But that's not all. The study goes on to report if the B12 could double it's market size they could demand as much as $50 million per school up to 16 schools. BYU was made aware of this study 3 days before the ACC and SEC said they "didn't count". From what I've gathered, BYU has done an about face on many issues. They are going to show us their budgets. They are willing to use BYUtv to help promote the Big12 and the Longhorn Network to keep fox and Texas happy. They are willing to give better media access to media partners then they did during MWC days. They will slightly budge on Sunday play-only if it is a football bowl or playoff game. And that's just the beginning. In fact, the only thing they will not budge on it seems, is their stance on advertising certain products like alcohol on BYUtv.
The B12 membership committee meets tonight with representatives from BYU, fox, and AT&T Stadium. Things should get interesting soon.

[wapiti]

LOL at the AZ schools interested in the Big 12 unless he is referring to Northern Arizona and Yava Pai.

[All-American]

LOL at the AZ schools interested in the Big 12 unless he is referring to Northern Arizona and Yava Pai.

I can imagine the AZ schools agreeing to listen to a voicemail from the Big 12.

In all seriousness, though, there's no reason not to have an ear to the ground, even if you are perfectly happy with where you are at the present.

[MarkGrace]

Thanks, BITF.

[Commando]

LOL at the AZ schools interested in the Big 12 unless he is referring to Northern Arizona and Yava Pai.

Grand Canyon U would be a great addition to the B12 imho.

[byu71]

If you budge one time on Sunday play then it's over, Sunday play is in. The NCAA's BYU-rule goes out the window.

True. We may not be able to join in a league with the big boys, but the nation will still respect us as the football team in America with high morals. Down deep anyone with high morals roots for BYU.

[WashingtonCoug]

True. We may not be able to join in a league with the big boys, but the nation will still respect us as the football team in America with high morals. Down deep anyone with high morals roots for BYU.

https://twitter.com/scottyg1280/stat...82455925075969

Can confirm a BYU investigation into allegations a former BYU staff member provided llegal gifts to current and former players

[San Juan Sun]

Edit: I do know that they are pretty strict about what is advertised there. They thoroughly research anything that goes on the air, but still.

Then how do you explain the Red River chiro ads? They'll treat "the Hashimotos" via Skype for you.

[All-American]

A for effort.

https://twitter.com/Big12Insider/sta...48794244702208

[LiveCoug]

Bronco Mendenhall would LOVE to be in the Big 12! BYU owns the SLC and Utah markets!

BYU is a cute little outsider that won't be joining the Big 12!

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/spor...3703420.735389

[San Juan Sun]

Bronco Mendenhall would LOVE to be in the Big 12! BYU owns the SLC and Utah markets!

BYU is a cute little outsider that won't be joining the Big 12!

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/spor...3703420.735389

4 years too late, Bronco.

[jay santos]

I heard one of the 12 is leaving. Maybe we're in.

[Uncle Ted]

Bronco Mendenhall would LOVE to be in the Big 12! BYU owns the SLC and Utah markets!

BYU is a cute little outsider that won't be joining the Big 12!

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/spor...3703420.735389

Still, both sources said they respect BYU for trying to improve their situation. “They should knock on every door possible,” one said.

Hmm... So are the missionaries knocking on doors again?

[Vic Vega]

http://newsok.com/on-the-outside-a-l...rticle/4888986

Barry Trammel breaks down the schools most affected by realignment. He has positive things to say about BYU. Trammel thinks the Big 12 is a long shot for BYU, and the only P5 conference that would invite BYU.