A league whose marquee programs are Texas Tech and Ok State seems a lot closer to AAC / ACC / Mountain West level than one that is a part of any "Power Five". They're just another mid-major conference. Future bowl spots and further network deals might not be kind.
IMO, The big 12 is vulnerable in the 4 team playoff because of the round robin. Teams can't get lucky and avoid good opponents in other divisions. I think the B12 has only been shafted once and I think TCU would have made it if they were the bubble team instead of Baylor who at the time was infamous for terrible OOC scheduling.
"The schools leaving have had success, but they’re not dynasties." Kind of a butthole attitude there, Mike.
I’m shocked the AAC couldn’t poach off the Big 12 instead of vice versa. Guess a league with Tulane, Tulsa, ECU, Temple etc. wasn’t attractive.
I think everybody is just doing what the ESPN money tells them to do. ESPN decided they preferred a reconstituted B12 over an expanded AAC. If they decided they wanted to shell out more for a bigger PAC-12 then I imagine the news would be different right now. TV bucks make all the decisions for conferences these days.
there was a rumor going around that west Virginia is leaving to the ACC and Memphis will join the big 12
OK State has been a far better program than Texas for over a decade now.... I think you're letting brand bias affect your observations...
I don't want to speak for him, but I think the suggestion is that brand bias has more to do with eyes watching and thus what media groups (who seem to be running all of this, anyway) care about most. People watch Texas even when Texas disappoints. The numbers are pretty clear on that. I'm encouraged by the new additions to the Big XII, however. My long ass previous post in this thread comparing them to the PAC12 over the last 15 years or so spells out why I'm encouraged about actual performance in football and mens' hoops. The shot that the "remaining 8" was undeniably going to have to absorb with the loss of OU and UT has been mitigated...not neutralized entirely...but mitigated, for sure. If I was in charge of the Big XII, I would NOT stop at those 4. I think you're going to need numbers...I understand that shares of media dollars might be affected in the near term for that, but ultimately I think you're going to have to give the appearance that you belong in a conversation with conferences with 16 teams or potentially more. I think the PAC12 is making a huge mistake in not grabbing up programs now in this current era of uncertainty.
Let's be honest, UT is only money and Oklahoma is the product. Losing one good football program isn't going to criple a conference. From what i read BYU and UT are comparable tv money. The conference just needs a TCU, UH, Baylor, OK state etc. to punch through in a playoff...
I wouldn't stop at 12 either, take advantage of the other conferences not expanding and snag the best of the rest... The BYU tv eyeballs will offset UT. So the tv money hit won't be as bad. Merchandise is a different issue. The league will be left with parity and a lot of quality middle of the pack programs. I think they have a shot at being ahead of the pac12 eventually... they just need their Oregon to emerge...
I don't know what to tell you, if you think BYU and UT are comparable tv money. Can't imagine how bad your reading comprehension would have to be to get those numbers. UT's game last week drew 3 million viewers and BYU's game drew less than 1/3 of that. And the idea that ESPN / the selection committee is likely to let the likes of TCU/Baylor/UH in to even make the playoffs is crazy. There's a reason that the PAC/B1G/ACC are now working together, and they've left the Big XII out of the loop. As to your OK State remarks, I'd point out that UT has finished ranked ahead of OK State for the last 3 years in a row. I'm not saying Horns fans are thrilled at being better than OK State, but your UT bashing is over the top.
I direct you to his infamous "Big 12 Scraps Aren't So Bad" thread that united fans of many schools against his preferred narrative of a resurgent Big XII buoyed by teams that want to "win titles".