Big 12 Meltdown - Why?

[flame]

With the Big 12 meltdown currently going on, the question came up repeatedly - why is this happening?

From what I've gathered, and please fill in the blanks, Nebraska is likely to leave because they will get a ton more cash from the Big 10 than the Big 12 (though why they wanted Nebraska is beyond me). Because of this - Big 12 South doesn't want to be associated with the North. With blood in the water - the Pac-10 realized they could dangle a bunch of cash in front their select teams from the Big 12, pick off a few, and overnight essentially vault their conference from "Yeah they're ok" to "This is the most insane conference ever" and I assume they could get a crazy sweet TV deal the next contract renewal. Also - it helps them keep the conference alive and relevant while USC is going through their sanctions (which they had to see coming). I have heard that the realignment won't happen until 2012(?), but having that impending excitement is probably important to them.

It makes sense for the teams to go to the Pac-10 because they're getting more money(is this even true?), its not the meatgrinder of the SEC, and because the major teams all get to keep their healthy rivals around for conference play and $$$$$ rivalry games.

This explains why teams would go to the Pac-10 - but why leave the Big 12? Is the Pac-10 offering substantially more money? Is Big-12 North really that awful? It makes sense for everyone else except for the teams actually leaving.

Also - it seems like the current Pac-10 teams are really getting the short end of the stick. Do they really get anything out of this?

[Blake]

With the Big 12 meltdown currently going on, the question came up repeatedly - why is this happening?

because:

Nebraska is likely to leave because they will get a ton more cash from the Big 10 than the Big 12 (though why they wanted Nebraska is beyond me).

are you kidding? who wouldn't want Nebraska?

plus, they are an AAU school and apparently it's a big deal for the Big 10 (unless you are Notre Dame).

This explains why teams would go to the Pac-10 - but why leave the Big 12? Is the Pac-10 offering substantially more money? Is Big-12 North really that awful? It makes sense for everyone else except for the teams actually leaving.

The negotiating power that the new Pac 16 conference will have would seem to most definitely be much greater to command a huge TV deal than anything the Big 12 without Nebraska would be.

Plus, it's better to be able to pick your conference now than to wait and be left with the conference picking you.....

Also - it seems like the current Pac-10 teams are really getting the short end of the stick. Do they really get anything out of this?

Yes, they get UT and OU.

[IceColdBrewski]

Also - it seems like the current Pac-10 teams are really getting the short end of the stick. Do they really get anything out of this?

Other than more money, better TV exposure, another automatic BCS bid, and a bigger pipeline to Texas recruiting, not much.

[jb4g]

Also - it seems like the current Pac-10 teams are really getting the short end of the stick. Do they really get anything out of this?

lots, millions of tv's in some of the largest media markets, the cable subscriber fees that go along with those tv's, access to arguably the best hs athletes in the country, and become such a powerful conference the east coast media can no longer ignore them. USC has been kcking their butts for years, now they can lose to OU and UT and get paid a uva lot more to do it

[flame]

Other than more money, better TV exposure, another automatic BCS bid, and a bigger pipeline to Texas recruiting, not much.

Things I hadn't considered. Seems like a dumb question now.

Thanks for the answers folks. I hadn't been paying attention to any of this conference stuff (until today) as I've been finishing on a project in April then jetting around for a month. Wanted to make sure I knew what was going on as we move forward.

[JoeTait75]

This explains why teams would go to the Pac-10 - but why leave the Big 12? Is the Pac-10 offering substantially more money? Is Big-12 North really that awful? It makes sense for everyone else except for the teams actually leaving.

As I understand it the Big 12 was always kind of a shotgun marriage, and the most reluctant participants were the schools in the North.

[Marklar MM]

As I understand it the Big 12 was always kind of a shotgun marriage, and the most reluctant participants were the schools in the North.

Yes sir. The South ran the conference.

[NFO]

The ironic thing with the Big 12 was when they formed the conference they trademarked the name Big 12 as well as the Big 14 with plans to expand.

Think Dan Beebe has been listening to Alantis Morrisette's "Ironic" lately?

[Winehole23]

[Cant_Be_Faded]

With the Big 12 meltdown currently going on, the question came up repeatedly - why is this happening?

Like almost all questions in life, the answer is


Money.