OK Big 12, you're up!

Looks like the 8 schools in the Big 12 are stuck (at least for the time being). So how long before they make the next move (assuming they make one)?

Yep. Unless ND decides to bring their FB to the ACC which they have given no indication of doing I don't think and of the remaining 8 are going anywhere in the immediate future so do they expand, by how many and whom.

And it looks like the "Alliance" will be scheduling each other for OOC games, meaning the B12 is really SOL unless they ally with the SEC somehow.

The B12 needs to go big, decimate the AAC so there is no doubt the B12 is the #5 conf.

They should also attempt to encroach on the markets of the Pac, ACC, B1G and ACC with their expansion targets

Big 16:
WEST
UNLV - huge new market and fan destination, fun trip for players, UNLV will be huge in NIL era
BYU - travel partner for UNLV, obviously brings huge audience on their own to conference
TCU
Texas Tech

CENTRAL
Kansas
Kansas State
Iowa State
Oklahoma State

EAST
Cincinatti
WV
UCF
USF

SOUTH
Memphis
Baylor
Houston
SMU

To the surprise of only a few, the PAC is not expanding.

There is just no value-added in the L8 schools.

Not unexpected. The question for the Big 12 now is, do we wait another year or so to consider expansion (while waiting out UT/OU settlement attempts and the possibility that the Pac 12 might re-consider a year from now when their TV contract comes up for negotiation) or do we move forward more quickly? My guess is that we're going to wait and that expansion mania is going to die down for awhile. But (obviously) not on this forum...

I'm so glad they didn't toy around with the decision for 6+ months like conferences sometimes do.

I would guess the next people we hear from is the Big 12, expanding by 2 or 4. Probably later this fall once the timeline on OK and TX is more clear.

The key words in this statement are, "at this time", As Many have said including myself, there was never going to be expansion of the PAC in 2021.... In 2024 or when UT and OU leave to the SEC, completely different conversation. Fool's gold if you thought they would consider expansion now

(08-26-2021 02:14 PM)Jared7 Wrote:  Not unexpected. The question for the Big 12 now is, do we wait another year or so to consider expansion (while waiting out UT/OU settlement attempts and the possibility that the Pac 12 might re-consider a year from now when their TV contract comes up for negotiation) or do we move forward more quickly? My guess is that we're going to wait and that expansion mania is going to die down for awhile. But (obviously) not on this forum...

I don't think they wait too too long to get the expansion machine going though. You don't want the PR cycle to be that the Big XII is dead in the water for over a year. I think this season becomes the "audition season" for x-amount of teams as the Big XII tries to build excitement for the next version of itself. I know it seems unlikely at this time with all the doom-and-gloom articles but if the conference plays it's cards right and selects the right schools they could get on the right side of the PR battle, which will be important with a TV contract that will be renegotiated in a few years. I feel like if they scoop up the rest of the cream of the G5 they can build an interesting and exciting conference.

(08-26-2021 02:14 PM)Jared7 Wrote:  Not unexpected. The question for the Big 12 now is, do we wait another year or so to consider expansion (while waiting out UT/OU settlement attempts and the possibility that the Pac 12 might re-consider a year from now when their TV contract comes up for negotiation) or do we move forward more quickly? My guess is that we're going to wait and that expansion mania is going to die down for awhile. But (obviously) not on this forum...

I hope it is quickly. No reasons for the Big 12 to not finally be agressive and decisive rather than reactionary.

(08-26-2021 02:16 PM)Gamecock Wrote:  I would guess the next people we hear from is the Big 12, expanding by 2 or 4. Probably later this fall once the timeline on OK and TX is more clear.

This might actually destabilize the conference even more, They should never expand to just expand. If UT and OU were really going to follow though with staying until 2025, do you think they would honor it if the BigXII was to expand now??? I highly doubt it

(08-26-2021 02:17 PM)SouthEastAlaska Wrote:  The key words in this statement are, "at this time", As Many have said including myself, there was never going to be expansion of the PAC in 2021.... In 2024 or when UT and OU leave to the SEC, completely different conversation. Fool's gold if you thought they would consider expansion now

Or as soon as USC and Oregon leave for the SEC.

(08-26-2021 02:22 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(08-26-2021 02:17 PM)SouthEastAlaska Wrote:  The key words in this statement are, "at this time", As Many have said including myself, there was never going to be expansion of the PAC in 2021.... In 2024 or when UT and OU leave to the SEC, completely different conversation. Fool's gold if you thought they would consider expansion now

Or as soon as USC and Oregon leave for the SEC.

(08-26-2021 02:13 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  To the surprise of only a few, the PAC is not expanding.

There is just no value-added in the L8 schools.

I expected the same, but for different reasons.

1. There is no need to rush and I'm sure they feel not taking them now somehow pressures Texas, Oklahoma, ESPN and the SEC. It doesn't really affect the latter two entities at all and only fails to mitigate UT and OU's buyout for now.

2. The PAC likely starts negotiating a new contract after football season. Initial valuations on a PAC payout with no substantive changes will be more than they have been making but still underwhelming. You will likely see a serious change of direction on this subject mid negotiation.

3. Unscheduled future OOC games will not be a major factor, if a factor at all.

4. While a scheduling alliance between the ACC North and the Big 10 could add value for the ACC, one with the PAC likely won't be a ratings bonanza and travel is an issue. And what besides some recruiting exposure does the B1G gain from it? They make more playing a buy game at home and don't risk having a CFP contender take it on the chin from a middle of the pack ACC school.

5. So for the PAC I can't see more than an industry inflation adjustment for what essentially is the same old stuff. And remember B10/PAC games early season can also screw up the mystery of a good Rose Bowl pairing if they've already played.

Look, if it was a great idea it would have been done years ago. And it was to a degree and just didn't ring any bells. So "alliance" is just business as usual, only dressed up with a name.

(08-26-2021 02:14 PM)Jared7 Wrote:  Not unexpected. The question for the Big 12 now is, do we wait another year or so to consider expansion (while waiting out UT/OU settlement attempts and the possibility that the Pac 12 might re-consider a year from now when their TV contract comes up for negotiation) or do we move forward more quickly? My guess is that we're going to wait and that expansion mania is going to die down for awhile. But (obviously) not on this forum...

Both UT/OU and the R8 are probably playing a waiting game at this point. I suspect expansion analysis will be very low key.

(08-26-2021 02:17 PM)SouthEastAlaska Wrote:  The key words in this statement are, "at this time", As Many have said including myself, there was never going to be expansion of the PAC in 2021.... In 2024 or when UT and OU leave to the SEC, completely different conversation. Fool's gold if you thought they would consider expansion now

Their new contract comes in summer 2024. So they should have their lineup mostly set by next summer. So I don't think they do unless something comes up during their contract negotiations.

Presumably the conference has consultants who had off-the-record conversations with ESPN and Fox about whether the Pac would get paid more money per school by expanding.

Maybe some folks here think they just consulted a Magic 8 Ball and got this answer


and those folks are hoping that next year the Magic 8 Ball will give this answer


I don't lean to the Magic 8 Ball explanation here, but others may disagree.

Guys, the Big 12 is not going to expand for a few years. At some point we'll get bored at nothing happening. But guess what, the season kicks off Saturday!