PODCAST: Talking Big 12 Expansion, championship game and viability

[HornSports Staff]

In tis week's edition of the 4th and 5 Podcast, host Will Baizer is joined by his friend Allen Kenney of Blatant Homerism to talk about the hot topic of expansion within the Big XII. They discuss the challenges of the Big XII Conference and address the issue of expansion and adding a conference championship game.

They also answers the following questions:

• How does the conference save itself?
• Are Bob Bowlsby and the other Big XII heads looking at the problems correctly?
• How much expansion is necessary? Could it be 16 teams or could it be no new teams?
• What happens if there isn't expansion?
• Where do Texas and Oklahoma go if the conference crumbles?
• Is the Big XII beyond saving?

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

The Big12 isn't "shaky" with regards to its finances. That's a myth perpetuated by ignorant writers in the media. Our schools bank more TV money than the Pac12 and ACC, per team, and will moving forward. Will we fall behind the B1G and SEC? Maybe, but our members are doing better financially than they ever have before. None of our athletic departments are cash poor. Look at all of the capital investments in facilities and infrastructure.

http://big12fanatics.com/conference-confusion-finance-schminance/

IMO, a school like Central Florida - the largest public university in FL and a Top 3 nationally - has just as much potential long-term as Florida State. The Seminoles had no "cachet" until the 80's. Bobby Bowden built that program from the ground up by willing to play "anybody, anytime, anywhere" when they were independents. Big12 games in Orlando can raise UCF's profile significantly, as it can potentially for any addition.

Bottom line is I don't think the Big12 will expand unless our TV partners agree to "keep everyone whole" - not just UT. The TV money pie has gotta grow. Otherwise, it probably won't happen.

Lastly, I doubt UT is too worried about what may happen in 2025. OU isn't going anywhere until then due to the Big12's grant of rights. I would like to see them challenge it, however. That'd be interesting from a legal perspective. Boren has kinda overextended himself and OU with his posturing. Do what ya gotta do, but UT knows it will be fine regardless.

 

[Embrey]

A bit of crazy talk here but do you sense that Texas knows that the have-nots (TCU/Baylor/possibly Tech/KSU, ISU, WV and possibly OSU) are looking to 2025 and asking, 'What are we going to do when Texas, OU and Kansas bolt?' It is funny how the leverage of the GOR and the conference rules switch back and forth. At times I knew Texas empowered all of the have-nots through 2025 and I have even entertained the thought that Texas made a mistake in doing so. However, now it appears that the conference rules necessitate that 8 teams will have to approve of additions to the conference. Further, the LHN, a big source of controversy (imaginary and real) is now a weapon Texas wields as leverage over the conference's ability to have a conference network. I have called Dodds a moron (looking at it from my perspective of what was in Texas' best interest) for the GOR but time has showed that he is more correct than I thought.

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is Boren at OU. Is it that expansion is the only potential leverage OU can achieve over Texas/ the Big XII? The guy has me perplexed.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is Boren at OU. Is it that expansion is the only potential leverage OU can achieve over Texas/ the Big XII? The guy has me perplexed.

I perceive OU's beefs with the Big12 as threefold:

1. OU wants an 8-game Big12 schedule to provide flexibility for another marquee home game every year
2. The data provided by Navigate has shown that an 8-game league schedule + Big12 Championship is the best, highest percentage route to the CFB Playoffs
3. Big12 Network

Boren is just a has-been politician who craves the spotlight. He didn't need to go public with his complaints, but I've never met a politician who could STFU in front of a camera or microphone. As you've seen, he didn't even have a consensus within OU's board of regents.