The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Paperback Writer]

Maybe someone has mentioned this before but Notre Dame's athletic director Jack Swarbrick and DeLoss Dodds are very close. Very close.

Some other reasons ND might pick the Big 12 over the B1G:

- The B1G has historically been made up of only AAU schools. Notre Dame is not an AAU member. (Nebraska has recently lost this status but is expected to get it back according to PBW.)

- The B1G pool all their tier 3 rights together and share equally which includes the Big Ten network. Notre Dame, being a team of high value, will most likely want to have their own network or something and not share.

- Notre Dame in the Big Ten would be like aTm in the SEC. It would be a tough conference to play in. Notre Dame would most likely fair better in the Big 12 especially if they were in the north division (essentially they would replace Nebraska).

- The B1G has made it pretty clear they are not interested in expanding right now and are happy with 12 teams.

A misunderstanding there. Once a university loses AAU membership it's very difficult to get back into the club. It won't happen short of cold fusion being discovered for real at Nebraska. Many of the elite feel that the AAU has become too large. However, because of the nastiness involved in expulsing members (Syracuse bowed out rather than be voted out), I doubt the AAU kicks anyone else out anytime soon. Anyway, the Big Ten has publically stated that it would accept Notre Dame - lack of AAU membership is mitigated due to Notre Dame's excellent academic reputation.

There are other high value schools in the Big Ten with lucrative Tier 3 rights like tOSU, Michigan, Penn St., and Nebraska. They don't have a problem with the Big Ten controlling their Tier 2 and Tier 3 rights. I doubt Notre Dame will have a problem either. The Irish will make more money in the Big Ten then staying independent and will be able to keep many of the annual rivaly games.

My guess is that Notre Dame will join the Big Ten once their NBC contract expires in 2015. But if Notre Dame joins the Big 12 along with BYU, I would be good with that.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Well, it doesn't specify where the sports are going, just that they are going. I hope it's the Big 12, but I'm not going to get all let down again on this.

Independence has worked out so well for football, the bot has decided it is best for basketball as well.

[TripletDaddy]

B12 coaches weigh in on the departure of Mizzou: Adios and don't let the door hit you....

[ame="http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post?id=38393"]Big 12 coaches weigh in on MU, expansion - Big 12 Blog - ESPN[/ame]

[Uncle Ted]

B12 coaches weigh in on the departure of Mizzou: Adios and don't let the door hit you....

Big 12 coaches weigh in on MU, expansion - Big 12 Blog - ESPN

Stoop(id)s...

Best of luck, and we’ve got two good teams right now and maybe more that are on their way in. So, we’ll keep playing ball here, too.

Yes, the Big 12 has two good teams... UT and Okie State.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

[TripletDaddy]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

Texas is a Moran?

Dodds is the one that is regularly mentioned as wanting to stay at 10. At least for now.

You are correct. Nobody is buying the Texas chess game of staying at 10 teams. It is a dumb idea strategically but for whatever reason, they feel the need to promote that in the press.

Ultimately they will have to expand to 12 teams or more.

[YOhio]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

I don't think you're missing anything. It's pretty clear that the Big 12 is a very poorly run conference that lacks vision.

[byu71]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

I have often thought this myself. I did hear someething interesting this morning. It was said years ago if only the University Presidents would get more involved, the problems in collegate athletics would be reduced.

The opposite has happened. The more involved the more messed up it has become. Instead of it being about athletics and competition, it is about MONEY and EGO's.

I admit, I personally don't know many University Presidents. I do know the Oklahoma guy was an ex Senator so I naturally think he has the mindset of a politician. I wouldn't doubt most Univ. Presidents are on major ego trips.

So to answer your question, the BIG12 Presidents are thinking about money first and their EGO tells them when the time comes, they will be able to solve whatever issue there is with adding teams.

Note: As I wrote this I couldn't help but think BYU is not exempt from this kind of thinking.

[YOhio]

Texas is a Moran?

Dodds is the one that is regularly mentioned as wanting to stay at 10. At least for now.

You are correct. Nobody is buying the Texas chess game of staying at 10 teams. It is a dumb idea strategically but for whatever reason, they feel the need to promote that in the press.

Ultimately they will have to expand to 12 teams or more.

They're also throwing everyone else off the scent while they feverishly negotiate w/ Notre Dame.

[ERCougar]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

Um...money?
Fewer schools to share a fixed pot.
Sure, there are other considerations which you point out, but they still have time on those before exit penalties and such interfere with a new TV contract.

[SeattleUte]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

They feel they have run out of qualified teams to invite?

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Yes, the Big 12 has two good teams... UT and Okie State.

The B12 has all great teams! Computers love them all.

[Paperback Writer]

Here is what puzzles me about the Big 12: if they have any intention whatsoever of going to 12 teams, why would they wait around? Given the instability of late, all conferences are going to be taking great measures to keep teams in place, with signing of media rights, massive exit penalties, etc. The longer they wait, the fewer choices they have.

What am I missing?

Several have already answered but the LHN also needs to be mentioned. In the Big 12, it's a question of haves and have nots, petty politics, egos, and a lack of alliance and collaboration. In my view, it's just the SWC II. BYU71 is correct to point out that it just gets worse once university presidents and administration get involved - in general the athletic side could find working arrangements.

Compare the Big 12 with the Big Ten. There are egos in both conferences but a key difference is that the Big Ten has had a strong conference commissioner in Jim Delany. When there are disagreements in the Big Ten, a compromise or consensus is reached. When the vote is counted in the Big Ten, it's usually a token gesture to confirm the decision that has already been reached. In the Big 12, the vote is a victory for one side because they have forced the issue and haven't had to compromise or reach a consensus. That results in winners and losers - haves and have nots. And when the losers or have nots have other options - they leave.

When the Big 12 didn't move immediately to add TCU and BYU to stay at 12 teams and UT inked their LHN deal with ESPN, that signaled trouble.

[Jacob]

Talk from Nienas of eliminating BCS automatic qualifying. That doesn't really make sense unless you are only talking about eliminating AQ conferences. There would still have to be some sort of auto-qualifier in place to make it fair. I.e. top 8 in polls are guaranteed a spot.
That would be a huge improvement, but would it really affect the conference jumping? I say no. Most of the jumping has little to do with AQ status, as teams are jumping from one AQ conference to another. it is only in the case of the B East where they are trying to creat a conference for the sole purpose of maintaining their AQ status.

If the rule were changed and access to the BCS were based solely on rankings, Independence might not be that bad. But membership in the B12 would still be much better.

[UtahJazzFan88]

I really can't believe anything Chuck Neinas says.