One thing that is holding the Big12 back right now, according to what Neinas has said, is when they've explored options on other teams joining the conference they've come up empty handed in a sense.
It's not like they can't pull marquee teams in, it's the ones that are realistic fits for the conference bring nothing to the table as far as expanding their TV revenue/footprint. (They want Notre Dame. And, they are discussing ND whether they admit it publicly or not. They denied interest or discussions,
but read these email exchanges available from a FOI Act proving that to be a lie)
They very well may rethink their position. But, they are going to fall behind the excuseāor reason depending on how you look at itāwhat does going to 12 add to our conference in terms of TV revenue.
I've seen pundits say the conference is better off because they now have TCU and WVU as compared to A&M and Mizzou. Now, the reasoning was interesting but at first glance a little faulty. TCU is a good program so they've brought in someone who is competitive. But, what has it added in terms of stability and increase? Nothing. Was there a chance with OU and Texas they'd somehow lose the Dallas market? It's a rhetorical question.
The addition of WVU does bring in another market so it falls into a completely different conversation. However, I see it benefiting WVU far more than it does the Big12 as a whole.
So, taking all of that into consideration, what is going to be their motivating factor?
I think it's the payoff for the CCG. And, it's because of that thought their logic on the other area fails.
We would like to expand because it brings in more money with TV revenue. But, we don't want to expand to a championship game which brings in more TV revenue.
Texas is hanging their hats on the LHN. It's that hat rack that drove the exodus of teams from the Big12 in the first place.
In retrospect, TX should have gone independent when they started the LHN. It's about the only feasible way I see that network having any success. But, that's just my opinion.
(FWIW, in the endāas it is todayāthe conference expansions have two winners. The PAC and the SEC. And, when you compare the two additions to both conferences which one comes out on top.
Setting aside our SEC glasses compare Utah and Colorado to A&M to Mizzou. When it comes to revenue, there is no question.
When it comes to competitive teams in all sports? Someone find me the latest time a Colorado team competed on a national stage in a sport because I can't think of one. I know we've got Utah in the Sugar in 2008. However, we can pretty well take that appearance as an anomaly.
Mizzou is on the forefront with basketball. So, there's one of the major three sports we see an improvement with. A&M, right now, brings competition in non-revenue sports so that's almost a wash.