***Official Big 12 Expansion Thread '16***

[isu81]

The conference is bringing in new members and I'm reading the TV partners aren't excited about it.

Unless the landscape completely changes to include the Hulu, Netflix, Yahoo, Twitters of the world then expansion may be a bit short term

It's definitely short term if there's any thought of keeping ESPN and Fox as partners in the future. They will be losers in paying $100 million for the kind of teams that have been mentioned. But to me, the conference has little to lose and will be able to pay out existing members in the interim period. I'll be pretty surprised if Texas/Oklahoma extend the GOR. If not, everything looks short-term. But as they always have, things will change between now and the expiration of the TV deal.

 

[tejasclone]

You guys, JT is going to bat for Memphis... so consider it a done deal.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/113656/justin-timberlake-endorses-memphis-big-12-candidacy

 

[isucy86]

I don't think ESPN will bid on the next Big12 TV in 2024. They already have the SEC and ACC Networks, plus payments on the Longhorn Network. They only took the secondary rights for the Big10 Network this time around, so they may not bid on the next round.

It seems to me if NBC or CBS Sports ever want to develop a brand as sports networks, they are going to need to make a play for Big12, Big10 or Pac12 TV rights.

The entry of Google, Amazon, Netflix is interesting that it creates competition and they might take an entirely different mindset to the bidding process. I will be curious how their entry impacts the carriage approach used today for the Big10 and SEC Networks. At some point, for the Big10 to continue to be on basic cable and dish subscriptions, they are going to need to show some of their top games instead of their worst.

 

[istater7]

"UCLA to the Big 12?

Big mistake for the Bruins, says @BrockESPN. es.pn/2agHigz "
Tweet from ESPN just now. Where is this coming from??

 

[CarlHungus]

"UCLA to the Big 12?

Big mistake for the Bruins, says @BrockESPN. es.pn/2agHigz "
Tweet from ESPN just now. Where is this coming from??

Rick Neuheisel brought it up in a radio interview. That's where this came from. Nothing to it really

 

[cykadelic2]

It's definitely short term if there's any thought of keeping ESPN and Fox as partners in the future. They will be losers in paying $100 million for the kind of teams that have been mentioned. But to me, the conference has little to lose and will be able to pay out existing members in the interim period. I'll be pretty surprised if Texas/Oklahoma extend the GOR. If not, everything looks short-term. But as they always have, things will change between now and the expiration of the TV deal.

According to JP on the CW podcast, ISU's primary goal is a GOR extension, there will be no expansion without a GOR extension and there is potential that the existing pro-rata clauses will be negotiated into a TV deal/GOR extension without any expansion.

 

[Boxerdaddy]

One thing that I don't think has explicitly been mentioned is alumni base. I think the "bandwagon" effect could be a big deal. Imagine you're a UNI alumn...you don't follow football too much because you can't get it and you're playing schools like North Dakota state...Now imagine the Big10 offers you membership and you're now playing Michigan, Ohio State, etc... I think your fanship increases. I'm not saying that's the only thing that matters, but I think it could be a huge factor in the way that media rights will be distributed in the near future.

I don't think that negates the Commuter school vs Campus school but all things being equal, the one with the larger alumni base has potentially a much greater revenue stream.

Has anyone seen any data on alumni bases for the potential candidates?

 

[Redman97]

Call me irrational, but I think geography is important. How much would it suck to be a West Virginia fan? All the schools in your conference are way the hell over there.

The more I think about Tulane, the more I like it. Great location, great academics, and not so great athletics. Their athletics would get better over time, and we'd get lots of Ws before then.

And their nickname is the Green Wave. We're pretty much kin.

 

[HoopsTournament]

Here is expansion thoughts from someone who actually covers the Big 12. http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/113701/big-12-the-expansion-stupid

 

[HoopsTournament]

Big 12 wants decision before start of football season.

http://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...-before-start-of-2016-season/?linkId=27057620

 

[SoapyCy]

Latest word is Cincinnati is a lock.

 

[Clonehomer]

I don't think ESPN will bid on the next Big12 TV in 2024. They already have the SEC and ACC Networks, plus payments on the Longhorn Network. They only took the secondary rights for the Big10 Network this time around, so they may not bid on the next round.

It seems to me if NBC or CBS Sports ever want to develop a brand as sports networks, they are going to need to make a play for Big12, Big10 or Pac12 TV rights.

The entry of Google, Amazon, Netflix is interesting that it creates competition and they might take an entirely different mindset to the bidding process. I will be curious how their entry impacts the carriage approach used today for the Big10 and SEC Networks. At some point, for the Big10 to continue to be on basic cable and dish subscriptions, they are going to need to show some of their top games instead of their worst.

With the loss of half the big10 content and some of the ACC content going to that network, they have to put something on ESPN and ESPN2. This is why I don't think the conference needs a channel. There's going to end up to be more channels to fill than content available. If ESPN passes on the Big12 then they better start convincing the PAC12 to get used to early kickoffs.

 

[SCNCY]

Latest word is Cincinnati is a lock.

Where are you seeing this?

 

[Beyerball]

It would be shocking to me if BYU isn't the first choice..the are the single available team that would actually make big 12 fball better..better fball..better for tv ratings..everything..I sure hope,the big 12 doesn't mess this up like they've messed up everything else.

 

[isucy86]

With the loss of half the big10 content and some of the ACC content going to that network, they have to put something on ESPN and ESPN2. This is why I don't think the conference needs a channel. There's going to end up to be more channels to fill than content available. If ESPN passes on the Big12 then they better start convincing the PAC12 to get used to early kickoffs.

That would be the best scenario for the Big12, instead of having a TV network having games shown on ESPN.

The wrench in that scenario, instead does ESPN show the best ACC and SEC games on ABC (2:30 & 7pm) and next best 4-6 ACC & SEC games on ESPN/ESPN2 and the remaining games on the ACC and SEC Networks? By televising the games on ABC and ESPN networks they should be able to earn higher comercial advertising revenue than on the ACC/SEC Networks.

The other scenario is with cord cutting and move to ala carte programming on cable and dish, do the better games need to be shown on ACC/SEC Networks to justify people subscribing to those networks. This scenario would definitely play in the Big12s favor. It has amazed me since the Big10 Networks launch that they get away with showing such crappy FB games. At some point, I would think cable and dish would require better content if the conferences are going to want the Big10/SEC and ACC networks on base cable/dish

 

[isucy86]

It would be shocking to me if BYU isn't the first choice..the are the single available team that would actually make big 12 fball better..better fball..better for tv ratings..everything..I sure hope,the big 12 doesn't mess this up like they've messed up everything else.

BYU is the best choice, but will the Big12 want to avoid duplicating what it did when adding WVU? Adding a team far outside the existing conference footprint and no obvious rival. Maybe that won't be an issue for BYU. Otherwise, it seems like all the expansion schools other than CSU are east of the Mississippi. I could see the Big12 adding 2-4 eastern teams just to minimize travel

 

[cyclones500]

It would be shocking to me if BYU isn't the first choice..the are the single available team that would actually make big 12 fball better..better fball..better for tv ratings..everything..I sure hope,the big 12 doesn't mess this up like they've messed up everything else.

It would be a head-scratcher for me, too, if BYU isn't Option 1. Or at minimum, if B12 decides to expand by only 2 teams, BYU should be one of those.

Yes, there are the frequently mentioned hurdles (1) geographic sprawl (2) Sunday scheduling. Legitimate considerations, but neither should be considered even close to a deal-breaker.

 

[Gorm]

I still think Texas is just playing the game with their statements about Houston.

I don't think they want them at all. Texas will be more than happy to "blame" the midwestern Big 12 schools for keeping out Houston when we invite BYU, Colorado State, Cinny, and Tulane to the conference.

 

[Beyerball]

I still think Texas is just playing the game with their statements about Houston.

I don't think they want them at all. Texas will be more than happy to "blame" the midwestern Big 12 schools for keeping out Houston when we invite BYU, Colorado State, Cinny, and Tulane to the conference.

20 years ago sure Tulane..back then Academics made sense but today when it's all about content..no way. U don't take Tulane when an option like Uconn or even Houston is available...Tulane fball and bball is awful...awful. Tulane will never ever ever grow into a bball or fball average school because of their academics..too tough for kids to get in. See Vanderbilt.

I actually think it would benefit the big 12 a lot to add A Mountain West team to have 3 time zones...we would be only conference with 3 time zones available for tv networks to show games..could have game at 11, 2:30 and 9pm every week..that's actually a big appeal to a network. More content.

 

[CascadeClone]

Latest word is Cincinnati is a lock.

I approve. Cincin has been respectable in both FB and BB, geography is a positive. No big negatives.

Not sure if I love this news or your avatar more....