TV Push Back to Big 12 Expansion

Mike Jackson · August 8, 2016

We need reconsider our "Big 12 aspirations". The market right now is saturated and they have diluted a lot of what makes college football unique and great with conference realignment. And TV executives aren't all in like they were in the first round of super-conference creation. It looks like the only way a Big 12 expansion would be approved by their TV partners would be stealing a popular team from one the other P5 conferences. BYU is the only team available that actually has a good foothold in a new market for the Big 12. Take a look at this story featured at the link below. If you were AD besides just winning what would you want UNT to try to do in light of this information?

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2016/08/01/Media/Big-12-TV.aspx

outoftown · August 8, 2016

There are exactly two ways this can go:

1) FOX and ESPN fork over some extra money to the BIG 12 (say 10 -20 million a year extra) and in return they get the clause stricken that extra teams will autmatically cost them 20 million extra, in which case the BIG12 will stand pat.

2) Fox and ESPN don't significantly improve the money for the Big 12, and then the Big 12 expands and holds them to their existing contract which will cost the networks between 40 and 80 million minus what they can save on the AAC (the latter part is peanuts). No reason for the Big 12 to play it any other way than tough with the networks.

Edited August 8, 2016 by outoftown

Texas Stranger · August 8, 2016

It's not about getting into the Big 12; it's about getting best situated for what will follow the Big 12's upcoming demise

UTSA Fan · August 8, 2016

20 hours ago, Texas Stranger said:

It's not about getting into the Big 12; it's about getting best situated for what will follow the Big 12's upcoming demise

I agree. If we are fairly certain the B12 will break up, plan for that. If t.v. money isn't the cash cow in the future, identify what will be and position for that. Its a business discipline to manage both sides of the ledger, the answer may include expense reduction as well in the plan. It may look random now, but it's better to position yourself to have the future come to you instead of chasing and never catching.

meangreenbob · August 8, 2016

20 hours ago, Texas Stranger said:

It's not about getting into the Big 12; it's about getting best situated for what will follow the Big 12's upcoming demise

AMEN!

Watch Fox and ESPN shell out all that money and then the ratings drop because who wants to watch such a watered down league, advertising dollars plummet and the next thing you know Fox and ESPN find themselves in really bad financial trouble and have to renege on the payments forcing the Big 12 to implode.

Edited August 8, 2016 by meangreenbob

GrayEagle · August 9, 2016

As I understand it, contractually the Big 12 can add up to four teams and pick up 20M per team. Realistically, the Big XII could add BYU and Houston and ESPN and Fox would be OK. But, if they try to add four the sports networks are really going to squeal. Now, that would water it down and give OU and Texas an excuse to head to the PAC12 (after they've taken the upfront money).

Mike Jackson · August 12, 2016

On August 9, 2016 at 1:38 AM, GrayEagle said:

As I understand it, contractually the Big 12 can add up to four teams and pick up 20M per team. Realistically, the Big XII could add BYU and Houston and ESPN and Fox would be OK. But, if they try to add four the sports networks are really going to squeal. Now, that would water it down and give OU and Texas an excuse to head to the PAC12 (after they've taken the upfront money).

The way I understand it is a little different. Houston does very little to increase the value market value of conference games. BYU is a little different but only because it creates interest in a region of the country the Big 12 has no impact in currently. All the other options that are rumored are unattractive to their television partners.