I think it’s more than just the TV money. It may well have happened anyway(since it did occur quickly, among other things), but I definitely think that NIL was a factor in the OU/UT move.

Beyond boosters openly supporting their schools, there’s also the pure financial angle. Companies will want a return on their marketing investment, and the visibility of SEC and B1G programs with their high viewership makes them attractive to business people who have no dog in the hunt. Signing an AL recruit for his high visibility would make sense to an Ivy League business owner even though they’d never set foot on that campus.

OU and UT saw the writing on the wall vis-a-vis recruiting and competitive advantage. Pair that with an expanded playoff where you don’t have to actually win your league, and it was a no-brainer even before taking direct TV revenue into account.