The consulting company advising the Big 12 on a playoff and expansion has stated that a 16 team league would be the most stable for the conference because such a league would be very likely to survive departure of one or even two major programs. If the idea is that the conference wants to survive long term, it must protect itself from being constantly threatened by the departure of one or two teams that would likely result in the conference's demise or desperate expansion in a time of crisis. The television contract would likely result in lower per team revenues, but not significantly due to the addition of more league games, a championship game and better home gates and television ratings for the additional league games as compared to the pathetic ratings they have been getting for the current out of conference cream puffs.
This will not be received well by UT because UT loves the fact that they have the power to constantly threaten to leave and destroy the league unless they get what they want. A 16 team league would actually be able to curb Texas' power. The other teams are unlikely to go to 16 as well because they do not see 6 more teams they want in the conference which are not already members of another P5 league. Nobody seems high on the idea of starting a raid on the other P5s for fear that it could start a competition that the Big 12 would be unlikely to win.
So it will be interesting to see if they go to 12 or 14, most likely 12. Supposedly several teams are being evaluated as the potential additions. From what my guy tells me, SMU is not on the list of teams under consideration, but Cincy, Memphis, Temple, Tulane and UH are on the list from the AAC, as are Colorado State, The University of New Mexico and BYU. The front runners are Cincy and Memphis to get a team or two in the East and closer to The University of West Virginia. UH is begging to be included, but nobody thinks they really have a chance due to adding nothing geographically.
Nothing will be decided any time soon, but keep in mind the academic calendar turns on July 31.
This will not be received well by UT because UT loves the fact that they have the power to constantly threaten to leave and destroy the league unless they get what they want. A 16 team league would actually be able to curb Texas' power. The other teams are unlikely to go to 16 as well because they do not see 6 more teams they want in the conference which are not already members of another P5 league. Nobody seems high on the idea of starting a raid on the other P5s for fear that it could start a competition that the Big 12 would be unlikely to win.
So it will be interesting to see if they go to 12 or 14, most likely 12. Supposedly several teams are being evaluated as the potential additions. From what my guy tells me, SMU is not on the list of teams under consideration, but Cincy, Memphis, Temple, Tulane and UH are on the list from the AAC, as are Colorado State, The University of New Mexico and BYU. The front runners are Cincy and Memphis to get a team or two in the East and closer to The University of West Virginia. UH is begging to be included, but nobody thinks they really have a chance due to adding nothing geographically.
Nothing will be decided any time soon, but keep in mind the academic calendar turns on July 31.
