The Big 12 doesn't change for change's sake. Realigning and expanding the conference throughout the country almost a decade ago made the Big 12 two teams unable to achieve their name. The Pac-10/12 left Colorado and the Big Ten joined Nebraska. In conjunction with SportsNewsPros, the SEC captured Missouri and Texas A&M, expanded to 14 teams, and then created its own televisions. At a time when money flowed across the table, it was a financial coup for the SEC. Big 12 explored expansion and in the uncertain time of rearrangement, Oklahoma and Texas would have looked elsewhere in the west (the Pac 12).
Finally, four teams lost and two were added.
Does the Big 12 ever come back to 12 teams, well?
Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says about the latest episode of social distance, it will probably not appear in the near future.
"The Big 12 's 10, the Big Ten is 14, so you know that some of us are only challenged numerically," says the Commissioner from the Big 12. "On the horizon, though, you know I don't see much reorientation. Cable TV and cable homes last time it was there. The cable industry is shrinking and it's going to continue to shrink. It is unlikely to exist as a motivation. The other thing is if you bring people here without the benefit of collecting cable homes or other forms of income, all you do is split the money in more ways.
"Another round of change I really don't see, I believe it's a round we'll be here for a while in steady state."
Of course Texas and Oklahoma are the major revenue generators in the Big 12. The Longhorns have a TV network of their own, but the conference itself currently doesn't explore a similar network.
The Big 12 is not, however, strapped in cash during the coronavirus pandemic even in these uncertain times. At the completion of the 2025 television deals with ESPN and FOX, the Big 12 invested $38.8 million per school in 2019, and projected revenue could rise to $45 million. Still, the revenue ranks third behind two conferences with networks of their own: the Big Ten and SEC.
The Big 12 has been productive but still has to hit the top of football in the College Playoff era. Since 2015, Oklahoma has dropped four times in the national semifinals.
Every year, as the Longhorns continue to contest — but still have to win — their plea for "Texas is back!" After 2008-2009 Tom Herman is in the top 25 back-to - back, with his coaching wins in his first three years, including three straight bowls. The Longhorns have 18 wins in the last two seasons and Sam Ehlinger is back on quarterback.
"The League has been a lot of success, but Texas is a bell-cow. There is no question of it, "said Bowlsby. "We are in the country's second most populous province. They are Texas State 's flagship university and are in the state capital. I think it's not about football but everything of Texas being incredibly competitive. Chris Del Conte is the best sport director in the country and Tom Herman came and was smart about the way he designed the system. They are again well recruited and will go ahead with the conversation.
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