It's official: No new name for the Big 12

[JLEW1818]

The Big 12 will not change the name of the conference, according to a report on the league's website.

“Most people believe that the Big 12 is the name on the banner under which we have competed, under which we’ve won national championships,” Beebe said. “I think the name we have is the name we’re going to continue with.”

The Big 12's board of directors made the decision. The Big Ten, which has had 11 teams since 1993 and will officially add a 12th in Nebraska this summer, will remain the Big Ten.

The Pac-10, which adds Utah and Colorado this summer, has already unveiled its new brand for the newly-named Pac-12 Conference.

The Big 12 plans to debut its new branding initiative during Big 12 media days on July 25-26.

I've said since last summer the Big 12 needed to keep its name, if for no other reason than a sensible, snappy alternative didn't exist. Good call on the part of all involved.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/29149/its-official-no-new-name-for-the-big-12

[badger]

We're probably gonna expand someday soon. Might not be this year or next, but there's some programs that would probably love to get in on this BCS conference act :)

[MeMyself&Me]

And I thought this was decided months ago...

[JLEW1818]

And I thought this was decided months ago...

not till JLEW reports it

[Soonerson1975]

No wonder kids are so dumb now.................since when does 10 make 12.....................or 11 make 10, or 12 make 10. Well you get the point.

[JLEW1818]

i wonder if aggie understands

[Mad Dog Madsen]

And I thought this was decided months ago...

It was unofficially official.

[badger]

i wonder if aggie understands

I believe it was 2006 when the 12th man lost the game at College Station... which prompted this lovely screen shot:

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1151/stunned2vc5.jpg

I still can't believe many things about that game...

1- That Stoops wouldn't punt on fourth down
2- When we were deep in Aggie territory
3- In the final moments of the game
4- On the road
5- At College Station
6- And that Texas A&M lost by the 12th man.

For those of you that don't recall, A&M was called for "12 men on the field," ensuring us the win :rcmad:

[JLEW1818]

:D :D

i was there. talking made noise after that game! Aggie fans just looked funny.

[badger]

Next poll idea: Great moments of opposition stupidity.

[SoonerofAlabama]

Sorry JLEW1818, but this isn't news. They said this weeks ago. They want to keep the brand name. Thanks for the thread though.

[texaspokieokie]

Well, it's NEWS to me !!!!

[SoonerofAlabama]

Well...Sorry, I just know they announced this weeks ago.

[goingoneight]

Next poll idea: Great moments of opposition stupidity.

Play nice and leave [hairGel]:les::stunned: out of it. There's just way too much to choose from. :D

[boomerinhou]

It was announced in Houston media again today. I guess it's official, official now.

:rolleyes:

[SoonerofAlabama]

I am going to bring it up again. Who do we want for the Big XII? I don't know that there will be too many options, but who knows.

[MeMyself&Me]

I am going to bring it up again. Who do we want for the Big XII? I don't know that there will be too many options, but who knows.

Keeping in mind that you need a programs that have something to gain by joining the Big 12 AND those programs have to add money for those already in the Big 12:

1) The first and best option is Notre Dame. Notre Dame is a game changer. AND they will make more money in the Big 12 than they are as an independent. They would make more money in the Big 12 than they would as a member of the Big 10 due to the Big 12 unequal pay distribution. The Big East might make some consetions to get Notre Dame to be a full member but I still think that Notre Dame would make more money in the Big 12 than in the Big East. Also, Notre Dame would have a good chance at dominating a North division in the Big 12. They are a good enough addition that you tell them they can bring with them who they want for number 12. They probably won't jump on board though cause they don't always make decisions concerning the pocket book but it's a marriage that makes sense... and dollars.

2) If not Notre Dame, offer 2-4 programs from the Big East. Not a lot of great programs there but there are several good programs in large markets. The large markets is what drives the dollars. Would be a good move for the Big 12 and a step up for those schools that jump on board. Also, the threat of this could push Notre Dame to make a move.

3) If neither of the above two don't work, and I think the only way Number 2 doesn't work is that if Notre Dame joins the Big East, then you have to go for BYU. BYU has a good national draw and has something to gain from the Big 12 but the problem is who to add with them to get to 12. At that point, you're looking at adding someone that takes less than what BYU adds. Perhaps Colorado State, Air Force, or Louisville, each of those not in markets already controlled by the Big 12.


No school from the Pac-12 or the SEC or the Big 10 makes sense cause they have nothing to gain by joining the Big 12 so it's not worth talking about.

[SoonerofAlabama]

Who are your 2-4 teams out of the Big East? Louisville, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Cincinnatti, right?

[MeMyself&Me]

Who are your 2-4 teams out of the Big East? Louisville, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Cincinnatti, right?

I would leave it open ended. There are enough good options. I think I would put South Florida and Pitt above Cincy though just off the top of my head.

[usaosooner]

Will not happen BYU,ND,LSU, Arky

Realistic canidates: Colorado State,Airforce, Cinci,Louisville,Memphis, The New Mexico schools,

[texaspokieokie]

don't see how ND can make more than they make as independent.

[MeMyself&Me]

don't see how ND can make more than they make as independent.

It's been estimated that their TV contract with NBC is getting them $9 mil per year. They would make a lot more than $20 mil in the Big 10 and even more than that in the Big 12 off of TV revenue. It's hard to predict about the Big East though because I think the Big East would make consesions to make ND a full member that might make the Big East more attractive financially.

However, it's clear that ND doesn't always do what makes financial sense in terms of TV contracts. They like their tradition of being independent and if they go to a conference, they may prefer more traditional rivals like that of the Big 10. Doesn't mean it's not worth a shot though. The unequal financial structure of the Big 12 is perfect for schools like Notre Dame and BYU and that's why the Big 12 has a shot.


Just so you don't think I'm pulling this out of thin air, here's an article that talks about Notre Dame's TV dollars and how they would make more money in a conference. Was the first google result of the search:

http://www.aolnews.com/2009/06/15/as-notre-dames-tv-money-dwindles-so-too-should-its-independenc/

[LakeRat]

Will not happen BYU,ND,LSU, Arky

Realistic canidates: Colorado State,Airforce, Cinci,Louisville,Memphis, The New Mexico schools,

You don't think that Boise is a realistic candidate?

[badger]

You don't think that Boise is a realistic candidate?

Would you really want a school in your conference that lacks institution control in womens tennis?

[MeMyself&Me]

You don't think that Boise is a realistic candidate?

I could see why Boise State would want to be a part of the Big 12 but why would the current Big 12 membership want to add Boise State?

[MeMyself&Me]

The first article I linked was a little old and mentioned that Notre Dame's contract was about to be renewed with a little more money so I went looking for what Notre Dame makes off it's current deal. Looks like it's $15 mil. Still a far cry from what the 'not so good' programs from the Big 10 get in TV revenue. The article that mentions that $15 mil number also talks about how Notre Dame is on thin ice with its current contract with NBC:

http://www.irishcentral.com/sport/NBC-Deal-in-jeopardy-if-Notre-Dame-lose-under-Brian-Kelly-79165842.html

They will make more money in a conference. That is certain. Also, they may be forced into a conference if NBC decides not to renew their contract in 2015 which wouldn't be all that surprising if current trends continue.

[usaosooner]

You don't think that Boise is a realistic candidate?

Boise academics will kill any more for them. They are woeful

[crawfish]

Technically, the skew is so unevenly balanced between UT and OU that each of us counts for two. :)

[badger]

If we get Notre Dame on for football, it will likely be because we hook them for their other sports. Right now, the Big East is getting bloated with all of the schools they've added or plan to add, schools that don't all compete in football.

ND will soon give up it's cash cow status in football, because it will stop being a cash cow. NBC really needs to just hook up with a conference, not a single football team, especially a sucky football team

[MeMyself&Me]

When I mention ND, I mean for all sports. I don't think ND would join just for football only.

[texaspokieokie]

wouldn't want them for fb only.

[47straight]

I don't think ND would join us for all sports, football only, or anything else.

[JLEW1818]

many forget that ND is part of the Big East in every sport except football right?

[King Barry's Back]

No wonder kids are so dumb now.................since when does 10 make 12.....................or 11 make 10, or 12 make 10. Well you get the point.

Why can't we just swap logos with the Big 10? Save a lot of confusion.

[King Barry's Back]

Regarding Notre Dame --

I just don't see them in anything like the current Big 12 alignment. From the viewpoint of ALL conferences, they are the most attractive potential new partner in existence. They could join any conference at any time.

Why would they ever choose the Big 12? They sit within the Big 10 footprint and have strong relationships (athletically and otherwise) with those schools. Those are all densely populated, big TV market states.

The Big East is weak football conference, and a football membership here would weaken Irish football by drastically watering down their schedule. However, it would take them to the big East Coast population centers.

The ACC would accomplish some of the same things. Membership in either the SEC makes tons of sense competitively, and joining the Pac 8=10=12 would put them in attractive West Coast markets where they probably crave greater exposure.

The Big 12 offers them nothing, other than the state of TX tv markets. In fact, that's all we offer anybody, which is why we are so unstable.

[MeMyself&Me]

Regarding Notre Dame --

I just don't see them in anything like the current Big 12 alignment. From the viewpoint of ALL conferences, they are the most attractive potential new partner in existence. They could join any conference at any time.

Why would they ever choose the Big 12? They sit within the Big 10 footprint and have strong relationships (athletically and otherwise) with those schools. Those are all densely populated, big TV market states.

The Big East is weak football conference, and a football membership here would weaken Irish football by drastically watering down their schedule. However, it would take them to the big East Coast population centers.

The ACC would accomplish some of the same things. Membership in either the SEC makes tons of sense competitively, and joining the Pac 8=10=12 would put them in attractive West Coast markets where they probably crave greater exposure.

The Big 12 offers them nothing, other than the state of TX tv markets. In fact, that's all we offer anybody, which is why we are so unstable.

You're selling the Big 12 short. Well, sort of. The reason the Big 12 is so unstable is the unequal revenue sharing more than anything else. Schools not on top of the revenue scale crave the additional money, or at least the security of additional money, of conferences that share money equally. However, there is another side to that coin. For schools that are likely to be at the top of the revenue scale (due to more nationally televised games and having their own network), they would make more money in the Big 12 than in other conferences, particularly when they can have their own television network, something unique to the Big 12. Notre Dame is one of the few schools that fits this later type. Even better, its one of the few schools that fits this later type that doesn't already have a sweet deal in terms of TV dollars.

They could make more in the Big 10 than they are now for sure. It's also the logical choice in terms of geographic footprint and traditional rivalries. However, they would not be able to have their own network deal and they would make the same from the conference TV deals as Northwestern, Indiana, and Purdue. There's also a bit of history here that not many people are talking about. Notre Dame coveted Big 10 membership in the past but was rejected due to it's 'Catholic' nature for years (Rockne campaigned for it several times and it was even tried in the 70s but rejected by the Big 10 each time). By the time that the Big 10 decided that having Notre Dame was a good idea, independence had become a part of Notre Dame's identity. If some of the people making the decisions are a bit on the old side, there might be a bit of resistance to joining the Big 10 due to this little issue. But the big factor here is that they could make even more in the Big 12 than they could in the Big 10 from TV revenue and having their own network deal like what Texas has done and OU is going to do.

The Big East would make a confy fit for them for no other reason than they are already there in other sports. If the Big East made some special 'Notre Dame' concessions, I wouldn't be surprised if the Big East was the best financial choice for Notre Dame. After all, there is a lot of large markets in the Big East. What the Big East would do to get Notre Dame football is the wild card in here that is hard to predict. Also, this league is weak enough that Notre Dame has a good chance to compete in pretty early. However, one thing that neither the Big East nor the Big 10 offer Notre Dame is better access to a great recruiting ground. The Big 12 can do that.

Pac 12 isn't really any better than the Big 10 and geography gets pretty bad by this point. The only thing that the Pac-12 can offer that the Big 10 can't is better access to good recruits. I don't think this one is very realistic. Certainly less so than the Big 12.

There is no way that Notre Dame would go to the SEC. So far off culturally that it's just not possible. Plus more equal sharing of TV revenue and no individual TV network. They would make the same as Vanderbilt.

ACC, sort of like the Big East but not as cozy since they are not already there in other sports. It does offer better access to recruits in Florida but that's it. If they're willing to consider the ACC, they might as well be looking at the Big 12 cause the Big 12 offers more due to the already established unequal revenue sharing and ability to own it's own network.

In the Big 12, Notre Dame would be in a Big 12 north division that is traditionally one of the weakest divisions in the BCS conferences which means they could compete very quickly. They would get better access to recruits from Texas. They would be one of the higher schools on the TV revenue scale so they would be making more than most other schools in the conference... and more importantly, more than they would in any other conference when comparing the other conferences traditional pay structures, they would also be able to have their own TV network like Texas already as put together and OU is in the process of doing.

The Big 12 is made for schools like Notre Dame. There's sound reasoning for them joining the Big 12 but, like I've said several times, they don't seem to do things according to what will make them the most money or they wouldn't still be independent. I tend to think they will eventually be in the Big 10 or a full member in the Big East. But to say it's not possible is ignoring that the Big 12 is structured to favor schools with lots of national fans better than any other conference.

Not pursuing Notre Dame is akin to not asking the pretty girl to the prom cause you think she hasn't noticed you. The only way there's not a chance is if you don't ask at all.

[badger]

The reason the Big 12 is so unstable is the unequal revenue sharing more than anything else. Schools not on top of the revenue scale crave the additional money, or at least the security of additional money, of conferences that share money equally.

Remember that the Little 5 (ISU, Mizzou, KU, KSU, Baylor) of the Big 12 offered to give up more of their revenue share to keep the big boys (Texas A&M, UT, OU) around. it is still better to be a little fish in a big pond (Big 12) than a little fish in a little pond (C-USA, Sun Belt, MWC, you name it, that's what those five were destined for without the Big 12)

[MeMyself&Me]

Remember that the Little 5 (ISU, Mizzou, KU, KSU, Baylor) of the Big 12 offered to give up more of their revenue share to keep the big boys (Texas A&M, UT, OU) around. it is still better to be a little fish in a big pond (Big 12) than a little fish in a little pond (C-USA, Sun Belt, MWC, you name it, that's what those five were destined for without the Big 12)

Yup. But if the Big 10 were to offer any of these a spot, they'd jump in a heart beat because they would be making the same money as Ohio State which would probably at least triple their TV income. They're only in the Big 12 because it's the only BCS conference that will have them. That's why I say it's these schools that make the Big 12 unstable and not that the Big 12 needs the Texas media markets. But the flip to that is that the Big 12 is extremely desirable to schools that can command their own national TV draw.

[crawfish]

Why would they ever choose the Big 12?

Favorable profit share. Most conferences would force ND to share the revenues equally, but considering what the Big 12 has done with Texas and OU, it wouldn't be a problem here.

[badger]

Yup. But if the Big 10 were to offer any of these a spot, they'd jump in a heart beat because they would be making the same money as Ohio State which would probably at least triple their TV income.

Hahahahahahahhahaa.

Nebraska won't immediately share in the Big Ten's higher revenue numbers (http://www.cornnation.com/2010/9/21/1703142/nebraska-settles-with-the-big-xii)

Yes, they seem to be headed for a Scrooge McDuck money pool eventually, but for the time being, they are giving up about $9 million in Big XII revenues, causing them to withhold their annual $2.5 million academic donation... which of course has nothing to do with Nebrasky becoming the first AAU school to lose it's AAU membership, making it the only Big Ten school not in the AAU.

Yes, the future looks bright, but the Bugeaters went from a $7 million expected surplus to expecting to break even the next few years. Break even?! hehehehehehe. the N is for Nowledge. :rolleyes:

[Mississippi Sooner]

What I don't understand is why the conferences insist on keeping a number component in their names. For that matter, even the directional element gets dodgy when you have situations like LA Tech in the WAC and now TCU moving to the Big East.

But the numbering thing has been in constant flux for decades. The Big 6 became the Big 7 which became the Big 8 before it became the Big XII. Then you have the Pac 8-10-12 and the Big 10 situation. Seems they could have nipped that in the bud years ago.

Then again, college football clings to its "traditions" more tightly than that Fiddler on the Roof guy.

[MeMyself&Me]

LOL!

[SoonerofAlabama]

The numbers always get off because of realignment. Penn State ruined the Big Ten Conference's name when it came in. I heard some of the possible new names some fans were thinking and they were terrible. They sounded like Division III conferences.

[boomermagic]

How about Arkansas or TCU ?

[SoonerofAlabama]

Arkansas is in a good conference already and won't make anymore money by joining the Big XII. TCU already has said that they are joining the Big East and probably will like that because the competition is easy and they get to play in BCS games without having to go undefeated. They would make more money in the Big XII and would get more more national credit and more televised games by joining our conference. They don't offer a new TV market though and their stadium isn't very large so the Big XII would let them join eventually, but they wouldn't gain much from it.