Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

I was wondering if a compromise solution exists whereby the Big 12, ESPN/Fox Sports, and two expansion teams from the AAC could all benefit from a negotiated settlement and publicly claim a victory. There is - based on the following information:

Big 12 Conference Signs TV Contract With ESPN, Fox Through 2025 - September 7, 2012

The agreement will pay the conference $2.6 billion, ESPN.com reported. That amounts to about $20 million for each school every year. The cable network said the Big 12’s per-year average is slightly less than the Pac-12 Conference’s $21 million per-school media rights deal and on par with the Big Ten’s per-school average.

UConn's subsidizing of athletics jumps as other revenues sag – May 18, 2016

The Big 12 has a per-year, per-school average of $20 million in television revenue. What the Huskies generate via television rights, less than $2 million per year, is a pittance in comparison.

UConn's athletic budget much larger than other Big 12 expansion hopefuls – August 22, 2016

Here are the USA Today figures of the top 20 non-Power-5 schools, with athletic budget and school subsidy. The subsidy gives you an idea how much revenue the departments generate (by subtracting) but also give you an idea how much the school is committed to athletic success.

1. Connecticut $72 million ($28M subsidy)
2. Cincinnati $52 million ($23M subsidy)
10. Houston $44 million ($25M subsidy)

Big 12 Expansion: Money Grab or Power Play? – August 24, 2016

If the Big 12 adds two teams, ESPN and Fox will be forced to pay the Big 12 a combined $40 million per year.

Any team who joins can expect only to gain a portion of that TV money, with the lion’s share going to the Big 12’s 10 extant teams. Teams like BYU, Houston, Cincinnati, and Connecticut may see that as a small price to pay for access to a 'Power 5' conference.

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The following could be the template for a win-win-win compromise:

(1) ESPN/Fox Sports offer the Big 12 Conference $10 million per year per expansion team for the addition of two expansions teams (say Houston and Cincinnati) through the end of the 2024-2025 season.

(2) The Big 12 offers $5 million per year to both Houston and Cincinnati through the end of the 2024-2025 season. The Big 12 Conference then pockets the other $5 million per year per expansion school from ESPN/Fox and divides it equally among the Big 12’s 10 extant teams, who will then earn an extra $1 million per year from the deal.

Why this is win-win-win compromise:

ESPN/Fox Sports can claim a win because they will be paying the Big 12 an additional $10 million per year per school for the two expansion teams instead of the $20 million per year per school specified in their present TV rights contract. The possibility of a very risky Breach of Contract lawsuit is eliminated.

The Big 12 can claim a win because they will be receiving another $10 million per year from ESPN/Fox to divide equally among the Big 12’s 10 extant teams. This additional extra $1 million per extant Big 12 team per year will increase the average pay-out to the extant Big 12 schools from $20 million per year to $21 million per year through the 2024-25 season. The possibility of a very risky Breach of Contract lawsuit is eliminated. And finally, for college football, a 12-team conference is probably better than a 10-team conference.

Houston and Cincinnati (or whoever) can claim a win because they will have secured their much-sought-after membership in a P5 conference, and will increase their TV rights revenue from less than $2 million per year to $5 million per year per school. Needless to say, Houston and Cincinnati (or whoever) will quite justifiably complain that it is unfair for them to receive only $5 million per year per school while the extant Big 12 teams are getting $21 million per year per school, but they won’t refuse the offer, and they won’t decide to stay in the AAC for less than $2 million per year.

It will be interesting to see if a negotiated settlement along the lines suggested above emerges in the weeks ahead.

[DudeAnon]

(1) ESPN/Fox Sports offer the Big 12 Conference $10 million per year per expansion team for the addition of two expansions teams (say Houston and Cincinnati) through the end of the 2024-2025 season.

(2) The Big 12 offers $5 million per year to both Houston and Cincinnati through the end of the 2024-2025 season. The Big 12 Conference then pockets the other $5 million per year per expansion school from ESPN/Fox and divides it equally among the Big 12’s 10 extant teams, who will then earn an extra $1 million per year from the deal.

I think the threat of "Breach of contract" is very distant. I also don't think the B12 is going to take any less than the guaranteed 20 million per contract. The only thing they may do is let FOX/ESPN have a voice in who gets added. Which reaffirms why I think it would be BYU & UC.

[Bill Marsh]

Stinks? No, I don't think so. Texas, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa State are all either very good or at least very solid universities. I doubt we could really describe the others as schools that "stink". If we did, we'd be starting to include some Big East schools along with them.

Bill, which school are you a fan of again?

What difference does it make? It seems to me that that kind of information is often used only to write off a poster's POV as biased.

Shouldn't a post stand on its own merits?

I'm tell you this I was a huge fan of the Villanova Wildcats during this past Final Four - as I was 31 years ago. I couldn't have been happier for the Villanova community when they won.

[DudeAnon]

Stinks? No, I don't think so. Texas, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa State are all either very good or at least very solid universities. I doubt we could really describe the others as schools that "stink". If we did, we'd be starting to include some Big East schools along with them.

Bill, which school are you a fan of again?

What difference does it make? It seems to me that that kind of information is often used only to write off a poster's POV as biased.

Shouldn't a post stand on its own merits?

I'm tell you this I was a huge fan of the Villanova Wildcats during this past Final Four - as I was 31 years ago. I couldn't have been happier for the Villanova community when they won.

Its just to give context. I am not trying to witch hunt, but it wouldn't surprise me if you were a UCONN fan.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

BYU athletics: Report: No Big 12 expansion decision until mid-September, maybe later – The Salt Lake Tribune – August 29, 2016

An article in The Dallas Morning News last Friday concurs with Iowa State president Steven Leath, who has said that BYU is generating the most comments — for and against — than any school out there. The newspaper also confirmed that BYU, Cincinnati and Houston are seen as the three leading candidates, in any order.

"And a possible tweaking of the school's honor code may also be necessary to address Title IX concerns," two sources reportedly told the Dallas daily.

BYU announced Monday in a school news release that its Advisory Council on Campus Response to Sexual Assault is "preparing a final report with recommendations that will be sent" to President Kevin Worthen and the President's Council.

The school has come under fire recently for the way the Honor Code office handles reports of sexual assaults in regards to the victims and their standing within the school.

Noticeably missing from Tribune’s article was any mention of BYU’s policy regarding LGBT students nor any mention of changing that policy.
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Even if Big 12 were to expand to 14 teams, BYU's LGBT views could keep them out; Source: 'It is a serious issue' - August 9, 2016

Any decision on expansion will have to be made by the 10 Big 12 presidents and -- as several sources noted -- LGBT concerns are among hot-button campus issues.

BYU has other issues that might give the Big 12 pause. The school announced this week it is being investigated by the Department of Education for its handling of sexual assault reports. After the very public issues at Baylor, Big 12 presidents may be unlikely to embrace another private school with strong church ties and potential Title IX issues. BYU has also drawn scrutiny with allegations its Honor Code discourages students from reporting sexual assaults. Similar suggestions have been made about the situation at Baylor, according to an Associated Press report.

Any Big 12 expansion candidate needs eight votes to be added. Sources indicated that the Big 12 will probably seriously talk with six to eight candidates before decision on whether to add two or four members. Discussions with TV partners ESPN and Fox -- which are believed to have favored the addition of BYU -- are part of the equation, as well.

BYU's Honor Code forbids 'homosexual behavior.' That's a Big 12 expansion issue – August 9, 2016

BYU’s Honor Code does not forbid LGBT people from attending, but the latest version does include the following, which is discriminatory by any definition:

Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.

BYU has a legal right to include this in its Honor Code, just as the Big 12 has a legal right to invite a university that guarantees equal treatment for all students. BYU has made its choice, and the Big 12 will soon make its.

BYU’s Honor Code enforces a core commandment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

Homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Law of Chastity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states that "sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife." In principle, this commandment forbids all homosexual behavior. Homosexuality-related violations of the Law of Chastity may result in church discipline.

A fundamental incompatibility exists between BYU’s Honor Code and the Big 12’s guarantee of equal treatment for all students. There have been no media reports suggesting that either side is willing to change their policy regarding LGBT students. BYU may not be able to change their policy, as its roots are in a core commandment of religious faith. ESPN and Fox Sports don’t care. The Big 12 Presidents do care, but they are not talking to the media about it. Politicians in the states hosting Big 12 schools are concerned about the issue, and are likely making their views privately known to the Big 12 Presidents.

It would be convenient for all parties concerned if this issue just went away, but that’s not likely to happen.

[Barley]

BYU athletics: Report: No Big 12 expansion decision until mid-September, maybe later – The Salt Lake Tribune – August 29, 2016

An article in The Dallas Morning News last Friday concurs with Iowa State president Steven Leath, who has said that BYU is generating the most comments — for and against — than any school out there. The newspaper also confirmed that BYU, Cincinnati and Houston are seen as the three leading candidates, in any order.

"And a possible tweaking of the school's honor code may also be necessary to address Title IX concerns," two sources reportedly told the Dallas daily.

BYU announced Monday in a school news release that its Advisory Council on Campus Response to Sexual Assault is "preparing a final report with recommendations that will be sent" to President Kevin Worthen and the President's Council.

The school has come under fire recently for the way the Honor Code office handles reports of sexual assaults in regards to the victims and their standing within the school.

The Big 12 playing policeman on BYU's reporting of sexual assaults is comical considering how Baylor handled them.

[Bill Marsh]

Bill, which school are you a fan of again?

What difference does it make? It seems to me that that kind of information is often used only to write off a poster's POV as biased.

Shouldn't a post stand on its own merits?

I'm tell you this I was a huge fan of the Villanova Wildcats during this past Final Four - as I was 31 years ago. I couldn't have been happier for the Villanova community when they won.

Its just to give context. I am not trying to witch hunt, but it wouldn't surprise me if you were a UCONN fan.

Would it surprise you if I were a Providence fan?

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

More unsubstantiated musings from Mark Blaudschun – a self-described 'UConn to the Big East' advocate:

Report: Memphis a finalist for Big 12 expansion - The Memphis Commercial Appeal – August 31, 2016

The University of Memphis is one of "six to eight" schools on the Big 12's "preferred list" of expansion candidates according to a TMGcollegesports.com story Tuesday written by former Boston Globe columnist Mark Blaudschun.

Blaudschun tempers the report with "word has it" that invitations have been sent to Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, UConn, South Florida and Central Florida from the American Athletic Conference, along with football independent BYU and two other AAC schools.

According to Blaudschun’s story, each finalist is expected to make presentations to Big 12 officials — "presumably in Dallas" — during the next few weeks. After receiving the presentations, league commissioner Bob Bowlsby and his staff will trim the list to two candidates, Blaudschun writes, and Bowlsby will make his recommendations before the Big 12's board of directors at a scheduled October meeting. At that point, the board, comprised of league presidents and chancellors, conceivably could "vote to issue invitations."

Blaudschun also disclosed "there was some chatter of a growing sentiment ... that the Big 12 presidents will table any expansion talk for at least one year."

Blaudschun wrote there was some talk about football-only invitations, a move "that would be easiest for BYU and UConn." He said UConn "presumably has a landing spot for its other sports in the Big East" if a Big 12 football-only invitation is made.

It is most unfortunate that Mark Blaudschun did not speculate as to why the Governor of Texas and ten Big 12 Presidents would choose UConn over Houston for a football-only invitation. The only things that Blaudschun ruled out are a four-school expansion (which ESPN and Fox would fight tooth-and-nail), and a dozen expansion candidate schools (who were never in the running in the first place).

Congratulations to the University of Memphis for making the Top Eight in a two-school expansion contest.

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN - July 20, 2016

BYU & Houston (5 votes each) top @ESPN poll of Big 12 coaches on expansion. Next: Cincinnati, Memphis (4 votes each); CSU, UCF (1 vote each)

[DudeAnon]

Would it surprise you if I were a Providence fan?

It would surprise me if you aren't also a UCONN fan. But don't get so defensive. We are all fans on this site and noone is expected to be an arbiter of unbiased truth.

[marquette]

Would it surprise you if I were a Providence fan?

It would surprise me if you aren't also a UCONN fan. But don't get so defensive. We are all fans on this site and noone is expected to be an arbiter of unbiased truth.

If I recall correctly, and I am always open to correction, I believe Bill lives in Connecticut and has a daughter who attends/attended PC. Bill is, in my opinion, a pretty solid contributor to the forum. FWIW I was born and spent the majority of my formative years in Waterbury, CT.