ADVERTISEMENT

ESPN Tried To Move B12 Schools To AAC

Big 12 should just give up at this point. This is your fault for letting Texas destroy the conference years ago. You left a cancer to spread and it's totally killed any chance of you existing in the way that you were.

Not only that, after the first exodus, you had 10 years to sign back 4 teams and the best you could do was West Virginia and TCU? Why not offer 2 more teams? It's not rocket science.
 
The problem I see emerging is this is turning out to be a mad scramble for money and that is driving all these actions with little or no regard as to what is in the best interest of college football. The notion of teams from the central part of the country joining the "Atlantic coast conference" is ridiculous and serves no one.
 
The problem I see emerging is this is turning out to be a mad scramble for money and that is driving all these actions with little or no regard as to what is in the best interest of college football. The notion of teams from the central part of the country joining the "Atlantic coast conference" is ridiculous and serves no one.

Read the thread, again.

That’s the AAC that sought the new members being discussed in this thread, not the ACC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: UKat1 and catben
The problem I see emerging is this is turning out to be a mad scramble for money and that is driving all these actions with little or no regard as to what is in the best interest of college football. The notion of teams from the central part of the country joining the "Atlantic coast conference" is ridiculous and serves no one.

Definitely. Media conglomerates shouldn't own conferences. Which is basically what you have with ESPN and FOX.
 
The remaining years on ESPN'S contract with the BIG12 is worth a total of about $1 Billion dollars. I think they also own 100% of the AAC's media rights. Pretty wild stuff, but not too surprised.

Hmmm. If the Big 12 folds completely, the contract likely allows ESPN some savings.

If a billion is involved, the remaining members of the Big 12 have a lot at stake, and will likely sue claiming that ESPN tried to lure teams away to save themselves the 1B.
 
Yep. Two teams I think.
Apparently the bylaws dissolve the conference automatically if half the members at the time the bylaw was adopted leave. Colorado, Nebraska, Texas A&M, and Missouri already have that count up to four. UT and OU would bring it to six. So one more school leaving should trigger that clause. But I'm not sure why it would apply to WVU since they joined after the other four left. Guess it depends on the exact wording of the bylaw and if it actually exists. There's lots of sketchy info going around about different collapse scenarios for the Big XII and some of it might be wishful thinking rather than reality
 
  • Like
Reactions: -COUNTRY-CLUB-JOE-
ESPN has ruined College Athletics , it all about the money
This is all on the Big 12. They let Texas run the conference into the ground. I dont even want them in the conference. But seeing as how it's a done deal, I just wanna see Big 12 perish now.
 
ZFJRXxf.jpg
 
I thought the Big 12 TV contract was with Fox Sports, not ESPN. Maybe I'm wrong about that because ESPN does own the Longhorn Network but all the more reason for ESPN to blow up the conference and send those members running into ESPN owned entities.
 
  • Like
Reactions: -COUNTRY-CLUB-JOE-
I'm curious as to what makes it a conspiracy vs. just an effort?
In this case, the need to try to drum up some outrage would be my guess. Quote to the press just doesn’t have the same punch if you simply say that ESPN and the AAC had been discussing whether it might make sense to add schools from the Big 12.

Could be wrong though, but I think you were right to pick up on that.
 
Well, a civil conspiracy is a cause of action in and of itself and it is where two or more people/entities join together to do some illegal act. And here the alleged illegal act is tortious interference with the Big 12's contractual agreements with its teams.
 
  • Like
Reactions: -COUNTRY-CLUB-JOE-
Big 12 should just give up at this point. This is your fault for letting Texas destroy the conference years ago. You left a cancer to spread and it's totally killed any chance of you existing in the way that you were.

Not only that, after the first exodus, you had 10 years to sign back 4 teams and the best you could do was West Virginia and TCU? Why not offer 2 more teams? It's not rocket science.
Agreed. Old Big-8 was actually a happy family for 89 years, winning 11 football NCs, 2 basketball NCs and 87 additional national titles.

Longhorns joined and screwed the whole thing up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Girthang
Well, a civil conspiracy is a cause of action in and of itself and it is where two or more people/entities join together to do some illegal act. And here the alleged illegal act is tortious interference with the Big 12's contractual agreements with its teams.
OK. But sounds pretty humorous.
 
Well, a civil conspiracy is a cause of action in and of itself and it is where two or more people/entities join together to do some illegal act. And here the alleged illegal act is tortious interference with the Big 12's contractual agreements with its teams.
Bowlsby answers to the longhorns and the longhorns effectively terminated his employment. The Big XII has been a sham for 15 years, at least. It never should have been a conference in the first place.

It’s over and he’s trying to save his non-existent job. It wasn’t so much he got fired, but his entire position was effectively eliminated.

Thats what all this effectively comes down to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IrishPokerDog
ESPN has ruined College Athletics , it all about the money

I think the NCAA ruined it. They refused to do any oversight while also refusing to reward schools for cooperating with "investigations"... All they saw were dollar signs instead of responsibilities. They gave no direction and had no plan while they let shoe companies and networks become rich, influence, and/or destroy what was built on the hard work and sacrifice of amateur athletes and people making 3$ a day in asia.
 
Last edited:
ESPN has ruined College Athletics , it all about the money

Yep they started this years ago when they chose pet teams to promote solely because they had more of their games scheduled. That's exactly how the duke/UNC basketball love fest started.

They stopped being about news a long time ago. They're an entertainment company. Basically a giant promoter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: -COUNTRY-CLUB-JOE-
Yep they started this years ago when they chose pet teams to promote solely because they had more of their games scheduled. That's exactly how the duke/UNC basketball love fest started.

They stopped being about news a long time ago. They're an entertainment company. Basically a giant promoter.
FALSE. They're Lib political commentators.
 
The problem I see emerging is this is turning out to be a mad scramble for money and that is driving all these actions with little or no regard as to what is in the best interest of college football. The notion of teams from the central part of the country joining the "Atlantic coast conference" is ridiculous and serves no one.

You are a smart guy, is this really a surprise that it's all about money?
 
  • Like
Reactions: UKat1 and Girthang
If I'm Bob Bowlsby, I interview as many up-and-coming successors for my job, hire the best, most vocal individual with a strong sales background and then retire with a continuation plan in place called, "Fear the Big XII".

This plan includes bringing in Houston, UCF, USF and either Cincinnati or Temple after OU/UTexas departure. Philadelphia MSA is 8th largest in USA, separated by mere miles from the NYC MSA (#1). Houston MSA ranks 5th in population. Orlando and Tampa MSAs are #23 and #18 respectively. The "I-4 series" remains intact.

Launch a new social media campaign focusing on the remaining member schools plus new additions. Flip the script on AAC. Big XII, despite dysfunctional flaws, remains a brand name. Must move quickly.

$ profit. [smoke]
 
Yep they started this years ago when they chose pet teams to promote solely because they had more of their games scheduled. That's exactly how the duke/UNC basketball love fest started.

They stopped being about news a long time ago. They're an entertainment company. Basically a giant promoter.

Duke v UNC rivalry outdates ESPN, but I tend to agree. They promote the hell out of it even during years when there's not as much on the line, or one team is clearly better than the other. I would also bet this isn't the first time they've meddled in conference business.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Girthang
Hmmm. If the Big 12 folds completely, the contract likely allows ESPN some savings.

If a billion is involved, the remaining members of the Big 12 have a lot at stake, and will likely sue claiming that ESPN tried to lure teams away to save themselves the 1B.

Yeah. It's a big deal more so in the sense that it isn't a good look for ESPN and they do have a lot of $$$ on the line. But it's a tort claim (not like anyone's going to prison). Most of the time, something like this never goes to court. It gets settled. It wouldn't prohibit TX or OU from joining SEC or anything. But there have been some big settlements. One back in the 80s between two oil companies that resulted in a $10 billion judgement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The-Hack
The problem I see emerging is this is turning out to be a mad scramble for money and that is driving all these actions with little or no regard as to what is in the best interest of college football. The notion of teams from the central part of the country joining the "Atlantic coast conference" is ridiculous and serves no one.
Well its the American not the acc. But speaking of the acc...how close is Miami to Boston College?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Whoppercat
Hmmm. If the Big 12 folds completely, the contract likely allows ESPN some savings.

If a billion is involved, the remaining members of the Big 12 have a lot at stake, and will likely sue claiming that ESPN tried to lure teams away to save themselves the 1B.
But if the conference folds that means there's no exit penalty fees to pay bc there's no one to pay them too. Right?
 
If I'm Bob Bowlsby, I interview as many up-and-coming successors for my job, hire the best, most vocal individual with a strong sales background and then retire with a continuation plan in place called, "Fear the Big XII".

This plan includes bringing in Houston, UCF, USF and either Cincinnati or Temple after OU/UTexas departure. Philadelphia MSA is 8th largest in USA, separated by mere miles from the NYC MSA (#1). Houston MSA ranks 5th in population. Orlando and Tampa MSAs are #23 and #18 respectively. The "I-4 series" remains intact.

Launch a new social media campaign focusing on the remaining member schools plus new additions. Flip the script on AAC. Big XII, despite dysfunctional flaws, remains a brand name. Must move quickly.

$ profit. [smoke]

Read my post about Bowlsby above. His job got terminated. He was never in charge of the Big 12. He worked for Texas as a puppet leader for the Big 12. Texas is gone and he has no position anymore. I honestly won't be surprised if he finds a job at Texas once they get enrolled into the SEC.

Your plan while good on paper, would ultimately fail. ESPN/Fox have a deal in place with the Big 12 for huge money solely based on the Texas/OU games. I posted a screenshot in another thread earlier where Iowa St AD remarked in 2016 that "Without Texas/OU, the Big 12 would have a 3 million dollar a year TV contract." Or something to that affect. And he's right. None of the teams you mention are going to change that. All it would do is decrease revenue sharing even more because then teams like Okie St and Texas Tech will be the breadwinners of the league and they dont produce enough to prop up UCF/Cincy and definitely not USF or Temple who would be liabilities instead of helping. Furthermore, at this point theres really not a reason for either of those teams to go to the Big 12. The AAC will be more lucrative in a few years.

As far as ESPN goes, their hate comes from 2 sources here. The rupp idiots who are jealous that North Carolina/Duke get more attention from playing in a basketball league whereas UK beats up (usually) on a league that doesnt care about basketball. And the dimwits like VHCat who let politics live in their head rent free 365 days a year. I'm not their biggest defender, but I prefer them to Fox or NBC. Their football coverage is pretty good.

Besides, ESPN is just the puppet. The mouse (Disney) would be the one behind it if it's true. Plus people dont take into affect that Fox is mostly likely wanting out of the deal as well. Theres already some rumors they're working with ESPN to get out of their contract with Big 12. You gotta look at their perspective. They have a back loaded contract with the Big 12. Meaning years 2023/2024/2025 are the biggest parts of the contract, with every year becoming increasingly more expensive for Fox. Why would you want to pay these huge numbers for a contract that ultimately is going away in its current form? Everyone knows now that its a dying conference. It doesnt make sense to invest that money in them. This will also make the AAC the power conference for the best G5 schools and they will have a seat in the 12 team playoff and that will take care of that issue.

It doesnt matter if it's Bowlsby or whoever in the Big 12 seat, the mouse rarely loses. And they just lost their 2 biggest cash cows, plus they no longer have the support of Fox. And the remaining teams looking for a lifeline. If the chair person walked in and bought up the UCF/Cincy/Temple/USF as a way to save the conference, he would be institutionalized for his own safety.
 
The main problem for the Big 12 is that outside of OU and Texas, there is no national following for any of the other programs. The Big 12 TV/Streaming contracts were coming up and they were at best going to be the same as the previous contract. Meanwhile, ESPN was not going to renew the Longhorn network, which left Texas and OU in a situation where they were going to fall way behind the SEC and the Big 10 in revenue.

There are multiple articles out there demonstrating that if OU and Texas weren't in the game, the Big 12 rarely had a situation were a million people were watching it. To demonstrate how terrible that is, the BYU - WKU game from a couple of years ago had over a million viewers. It actually doubled the viewership of the Baylor - TCU game played on the same day.

People can complain about Fox and ESPN all they want, but at the end of the day the leftover Big 12 schools have a fanbase that is very similar to what you would see with AAC schools, but they are wanting SEC budgets. This is basically a market correction for them, and if they are wise they will jump on any ESPN/FOX deal that is willing to overpay them to go to the AAC because that is where they are going to end up in a couple of years anyway. At least they will be getting some extra cash for themselves to salve those bruised egos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stamperdes0202
I think some people might be conflating “media market” with fan support. South Florida might be in a great market, but they have a $hitty program and no fan support. Adding a UCF makes sense for the Big 12. South Florida doesn’t do much even for the AAC (other than a nearby partner for the Knights).
 
As far as ESPN goes, their hate comes from 2 sources here. The rupp idiots who are jealous that North Carolina/Duke get more attention from playing in a basketball league whereas UK beats up (usually) on a league that doesnt care about basketball. And the dimwits like VHCat who let politics live in their head rent free 365 days a year. I'm not their biggest defender, but I prefer them to Fox or NBC. Their football coverage is pretty good.
I don't know about "here" as in this board, but if ESPN is meddling in conference realignment (which I have no doubt they are) that is offensive. They are supposed to be media, which means covering events and not owning and running them. Of course, it is just "sports" and the lines have been blurred for years . An example is when ESPN literally bought and started to run multiple bowl games and put the teams in their games they thought would drive the biggest ratings.
 
I don't know about "here" as in this board, but if ESPN is meddling in conference realignment (which I have no doubt they are) that is offensive. They are supposed to be media, which means covering events and not owning and running them. Of course, it is just "sports" and the lines have been blurred for years . An example is when ESPN literally bought and started to run multiple bowl games and put the teams in their games they thought would drive the biggest ratings.
The core of the problem is that both Disney and Fox wants the B12 dead and those are the only big players in the college football space. If they somehow survive and "re-load", once their current contract is over, they're screwed. No Disney company will bid on it and Fox is going to lowball them as they'll want to recoup some of their losses and because they'll have no competition in the bidding.

That's unless a new competitor enters the market for college sports but if they did, the Big XII Conference for Misfit Teams isn't where they'd want to start.

Meanwhile you have the AAC, which isn't an Autonomy Five conference but has the blessing of Disney, who has already made clear they'll give the conference a good media deal in exchange for helping blowup the B12.
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT