Don’t be shocked if Big 12 commish Bob Bowlsby finds himself on the hot seat in the coming months because the entire thing has turned into a huge mess when you consider the television networks are threatening litigation, the schools inside the conference all have their own agendas/favorites and the politics surrounding all of it has created a tricky terrain full of landmines.
One of the landmines is definitely the relationships between TV partners and I was told this week that ESPN is as far away from being a willing partner to the attempted money grab as it can be. In no uncertain terms, I’ve been told that not only has ESPN notified the conference that there are zero combination of additions that are attractive from the perspective of the network, but it is willing to take this to court if that is what is needed.
There is absolutely no consensus when it comes to potential new schools and multiple sources mentioned this week that there’s not a school that’s being considered that has the eight votes needed. For instance, for all of the discussion about adding Houston, I’m told there is a block of non-Texas Big 12 members that view the addition of the Cougars as an absolute non-starter. “It ain’t happening,” one Big 12 source said on Wednesday.
One high-level Texas source told me on Thursday that he doesn’t believe there will be any expansion at all when the dust clears.
Out of curiosity, I asked the same source which conference the Longhorns would end up in if the Big 12 dies at the end of the current Grant of Rights agreement and the source said the Big 10 because of the academic profiles that many of the schools bring to the table, although the source also mentioned that Texas would likely have a chance to join in of the other four power conferences if it wanted to.
I mentioned my own personal Pac-12 preference and was told that it is a league that has some internal conflict at the moment, as the Pac-12 Network hasn’t been a roaring success and schools like Arizona and Colorado are being described as unhappy with the current state of things.
Finally, if the Big 12 does collapse in the coming years, I was told we’ll likely know about it before the current GOR expires. “I don’t think it will take that long,” one high-level source told me.
I dont know how true this is but one is Texas really going to destroy a kingdom that it owns? At what point has anyone seen complaints about the Bob until now? ESPN may be a player but they are not the only player. Fox is in this as well. So ESPN suing is very unlikely in my opinion.
I never cease to be amazed why anyone would frequent their websites … I suspect it would be safer to venture into an ISIS site and be more warmly welcomed (sarcasm).
NONE have any love for UH … NONE … and none I suspect favor any of the other candidates … especially the leading ones.
To them we are someone between the Lil Abners and Ma and Pa Kettles … and even though we have come UP in the world recently still consider us the Jed Clampetts of SE Texas.
I find it hilarious that a common reason UH would never get in was that the Texas schools would never allow it to happen. Then UT and TTU come out in support of UH and suddenly it is flipped to the Non-Texas schools won’t allow it to happen. These guys don’t have a clue and just make up stuff that sounds good to them.
I’ve wanted to tell the big 12 where they can stick their conference for a long time. Can’t we just play along and then make the playoff while they drag it out and then get the Pac 12 to invite us and Hawaii before the semi-final and laugh at the big 12 for being so stupid?
Why would any school, not named uta or OU, in that dis-functional conference fail to support expansion in order to try to save the conference? They have nowhere else to go if it goes under! And expanding would make each of them more money too. It makes no sense.
Duce630
(DustinK - I Stand With Israel - Bring Them Home)
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I don’t know why any of the other conferences would take Texas while they have their own network.
the fact is, they may very well support expansion and us,We have no way of knowing at all what is really going on and what is really being said…My guess is, there is a give and take going on between all parties to come to an agreement, and they are taking their time because there is no timeline they are required to follow. They can take as long as they want…and that is pretty boring, and last thing bloggers and writers want to talk about…
It would be a PR nightmare for the Big XII to solicit 18 institutions for their credentials as an expansion candidate and then call off expansion. That said nothing will surprise me when it comes to conference realignment.
That “source” basically has no input at all and is just reading articles and blogs like anyone else. That info was from a Chuck Carlton article, almost verbatim, from a few weeks ago that talked about where the Big12 was prior to negotiations. That “source” also mixed in information from articles prior to the last Big 12 meeting.
UT’s public support of UH is just a ploy to retain UT Houston. OU and Ok. State are all in against UH. I suspect UT’s true vote is against UH as well. UH needs to prepare the fight against UT Houston.
UT-Austin is very good at self promotion. The public opinion about their lofted academics is questionable. I’m sure they are a good school education-wise but I had 2 family members who barely got out of high school go to Austin CC and then transfer to UT so the popular opinion of their high standards is bogus to me
Let’s be clear, any Bachelor transfer program is gonna weigh community college GPA the same as any 4 year college GPA. I went to UT undergrad for business, and it was hard as hell. I took a couple of ACC classes, and they were about the easiest classes I’ve ever taken. I also attended UH undergrad for two years. UT was much harder. I also went to UH for grad school. Still UT undergrad was the most challenging.
I’ll always follow UT football, but I can’t stand the way UT leadership. The arrogance, entitlement and self-importance disgusts me. I’m all UH, a season ticket holder multiple years and respect UH leadership.
UT is not to be trusted and have proven a horrible business partner to other schools. They have no interest in mutual success. They only have interest in their own success, feel it is their right and view most other schools as beneath them. Just like the Sith.