Big 12 exhales after conference's near demise; commish talks about future
By John Werner Tribune-Herald staff writer
When the siege of the Big 12 ended, the University of Texas athletic program emerged richer and more powerful than ever.
But each of the 10 remaining Big 12 teams won and schools like Baylor University still had a home and greater prospects.
After raids by three different conferences, a league that looked dead stayed intact with promises of a lucrative television contract.
Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said Tuesday the conference will still be called the Big 12. Even with 10 teams.
Cody Duty/Associated Press
“I’m proud to lead this conference into a bright and exciting future,” Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said during Tuesday’s conference call.
“Through a lot of contemplation, the institutions in this league decided it was best to stay together and a lot of people worked very hard to do it.”
Last weekend, the Big 12’s chances of survival looked grim after Colorado jumped to the Pac-10 Conference and Nebraska moved to the Big Ten Conference.
Down to 10 teams, the league appeared on the verge of collapse when Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott flew during the weekend to Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State with invitations in hand.
The Southeastern Conference also was courting Texas A&M.
Beebe hurriedly worked with the Big 12’s television partners to piece together an appealing package.
The Big 12 is set to negotiate a new deal with Fox next spring, while the league’s ABC-ESPN contract is up for renewal in 2015-16.
But the Big 12 could begin working on a new ABC-ESPN deal before the current contract expires.
Big-money contracts
“We looked at the projections with our television partners and found that we can profit greatly,” Beebe said. “We had extremely strong verification based on the analysis of our consultants and media companies that we’re in a tremendous position to execute future agreements that will put our member institutions on par with any in the country.”
Powerful schools like Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M are projected to make about $20 million annually beginning in 2012.
The seven remaining Big 12 schools are expected to make between $14 million and $17 million, a significant increase over the current television contract, which pays between $7 million and $11 million annually.
The remaining 10 schools will benefit financially from losing Nebraska and Colorado because the revenue will be split 10 ways instead of 12.
Neither the Nebraska nor Colorado television markets brought in a great deal of revenue, officials around the league have said.
In addition to the Big 12’s network deals, the league will allow each school to pursue its own cable network.
That was a major selling point for Texas, which reportedly could make $3 million to $5 million with its own network.
Paying to play
Beebe said Baylor, Kansas State, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa State made financial concessions to Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M to keep the trio in the Big 12.
Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M will receive a greater share of the revenue from future television contracts, but those schools have received a bigger cut of the current contract because of more television appearances.
“We wanted to come up with the best scenario that would keep the Big 12 together,” Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. “We felt the 10-team model was the best, and we worked hard to get it done. It was great work by the presidents, athletic directors and Commissioner Beebe to put together a deal that would work for everyone.”
Additionally, Baylor, Kansas State, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa State made a good- faith offer to contribute their share of the buyout revenue from Colorado and Nebraska to Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
The combined buyouts for Nebraska and Colorado could be worth about $30 million.
“Those five institutions that were not being pursued as dramatically were looking at a very difficult future with significantly less revenue,” Beebe said.
“They wanted to make sure Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma stayed with them, and were willing to do whatever was necessary to use some of the financial distribution to stay in the conference.”
While increased television revenue was clearly a major factor in drawing Texas to the table to keep the Big 12 intact, Texas President Bill Powers said it wasn’t the only reason.
If Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech had bolted to the Pac-10, they would have faced long travel schedules that would have been tough on athletes, coaches and fans.
“We’ve decided the Big 12 provides the best long-term opportunity for our campus,” Powers said Tuesday.
“In reaching the decision, we’ve taken in account the impact on our student athletes, the financial ramifications of the various options and the interest of our Big 12 partners.”
With 10 teams, the Big 12 will play a nine-game conference football schedule and an 18-game basketball schedule.
The Big 12 championship game could be dropped since a true champion can be determined during regular-season play without North and South divisions.
Since the 10 remaining schools will draw more revenue, Beebe said, there are no plans to expand to 12 teams.
While there’s no guarantee that other conferences won’t try to raid the Big 12 again to form a super conference, Beebe said he still thinks the 10- to 12-team model is the best for college sports.
“When you start having mega-conferences, they’re more like associations,” Beebe said. “We’ve got a pretty good balance of revenue that can support many institutions at this level.
“When you get too far out of your geographic region against teams you don’t even know, it devalues the collegiate experience. We’re not professionals.”
And, yes, the conference will still be called the Big 12, Beebe said. Even with 10 teams.
jwerner@wacotrib.com
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Way to go Baylor! 31st in the overall sports rankings, and 5th in the Big 12. Can't argue with that. And it's obvious football, the only lagging sport, is back on the way up. That's awesome from a small private school.
Where do these people come from with all their criticism and negativity towards Baylor? Presumably these people live and work in CenTex. Did they read the Perryman Study about the jobs lost if the Big 12 leaves the State? Maybe these people are independently wealthy and do not need work.
The only Big 12 team that stood to lose in the deal was Baylor, and it was Texas legislature who stopped the deal long enough to let Beebe wake up from one of his many daily cat-naps to try and buy back the big schools. Now who do you mouth breathers think had the motivation and pull to do such a thing? THAT, kids, is the value of a Baylor education. We might be small but we have the big dogs on a leash. Don't act like your jackass attitude towards Baylor is a result of or justified by Baylor's recent football failings. If Baylor was running the table in football many of you would still find something to run your mouth's about. That will be proven very soon by Briles. hide in your trailers and watch.
Well I believe Baylor averages beating Texas on the gridiron once every 13 years,beats A&M once every 5 years,has not beaten OU,but beats OSU once every 6 years and Tech once every 7 years. I could be wrong but one thing for sure--we are way over our heads in football and have been since the big12 formed.We have turned the corner in football for the last 12 years running,have not been to a bowl game since Grant Teaff was coach and I think he is 97 on his last birthday.
Ok been a NMSU fan for a long time have come to Waco and plan on attending BU games.Sorta wondering though how many times Baylor has beaten Texas,OU,OSU,A&M,Nebraska etc etc the last 15 years.I was told Baylor hasnt beat Texas in over 15 years-is that true?Im talking football here,the kingpin of college athletics.
roxie56, you're right, it was terrible watching our men's and women's hoops teams not even win a single game last year because we were way in over our head in the Big 12. Sure, football is the #1 sport, but that doesn't mean it's the only sport in college athletics (or revenue).
It's sad that BU is even in the BIG 12 and had to be considered in this whole equation. BU needs to be in a smaller conference where it can be more competitive and have true rivals. They have always seen themselves as more than they are and will never be in the same class as Texas or Texas A&M, and in no way have EVER been a rival of either team. sic 'em bears? Give me a break!!
CU and maybe Utah to the Pac-10? Are you kidding? They just took their conference down another level I didn't know they had... bad to worse. The Slack-12 is a joke in football and b-ball. I don't blame UT for turning it down. They did the smart thing. Let Cali be. And NU to the big 10 plus one is not a bad move for them, but in the long run they will wish they had stayed. These are student-athletes and even though money talks, I am happy for the other sports who would be put in a difficult spot travel-wise. What should be done now in the big 12 is add another game for each team so that all teams play 13 teams without a conf championship. 9 conf games and 4 non-conf games is perfect. Each team needs to schedule a couple softies and then a couple of major conf games. As for BU, they are going to have to now go all out and campaign for a new stadium, etc. They need to hire a sports image consultant and plan ahead for a possible move. I hate to admit it, but RG3 may just be the key to this thing taking off. If he plays to potential, then they will win over the course of the next 3 years. If its the same ole BU on the field, then we can forget about playing with the big boys down the road. It should be "game on" BU. EVERYTHING depends on how BU performs over the next 3 years. Briles needs to visit with Drew to see how its done!
GOOD GOING!! I am glad Waco was able to keep their heart beating!!!! Go Bears!!!!!!!
GOOD GOING!! I am glad Waco was able to keep their heart beating!!!! Go Bears!!!!!!!
Ouch. I thought that it would be nice to get the windfall of departure money from NU and CU...but of course Texas demands that so we can play on the playground. What happens at the next realignment: do we have to offer up our wives for the privilege of UT's company? Wow, I hope the Horns football team collapses like their hoops team did this year. With Notre Dame and USC plummeting, there's no better program it could happen to.
I don't think blaming UT for the conference re-aligning is correct. Money from TV has forced this whole scenario to take place. And it blew up so quickly; it seemed to have come out of nowhere which I doubt was the case. Going forward, Big 12 leaders had better be prepared for issues like this. To suddenly be looking at an economic crisis, as this would have created, shows some very short-sighted leadership from the Big 12. This type of controversy will occur again and we had better be prepared for it. We lost the SWC and dodged a bullet on this one, a bullet that should have never been fired.
Leave it to the egomaniacs of Texas to try to run another league... You tried it before with the old southwest conference which fell apart under your leadership so badly you had to run to the Big 8 to save you. Once there you muscled your way to trying to run another conference and two long time members said the hell with you and left. How long before you run the Texas 10 conference into the ground? You never learn. Oh well, at least NU and CU were smart enough to get out and into better situations away from your inflated egos. I wonder how long you will last and where you will run next. I am so glad we got out in time. I am afraid the IQ of the league just dropped significantly. MU, KU, KSU, OU, OSU.. wow real think tanks.. You get what you deserve..lol.
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| Date | Opponent | Time/ Result |
Pics | TV? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 2 | TCU | W, 50-48 |  |
ESPN |
| Sept. 17 | SFA | W, 48-0 | |
|
| Sept. 24 | Rice (parents' weekend) | W, 56-31 | |
Fox SW |
| Oct. 1 | @ Kansas State |
L, 36-35 | |
ABC |
| Oct. 8 | Iowa State | W, 49-26 | |
Fox SW |
| Oct. 15 | @ Texas A&M | L, 55-28 | |
FX |
| Oct. 29 | @ Okla. State |
L, 59-24 | |
ABC |
| Nov. 5 | Missouri (homecoming) |
W, 42-39 | |
Fox SW |
| Nov. 12 | @ Kansas |
W, 31-30 (OT) | |
|
| Nov. 19 | Oklahoma | W, 45-38 | |
ABC |
| Nov. 26 | vs. Texas Tech (at Dallas) | W, 66-42 | |
Fox SW |
| Dec. 3 | Texas | W, 48-24 | |
ABC |
| Dec. 29 | Alamo Bowl vs. Washington (Alamodome, San Antonio) |
W, 67-56 | |
ESPN |
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