After months of speculation, the door has been officially shut on Big 12 expansion — at least for now. Oklahoma president David Boren and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby announced during a press conference on Monday that the conference will stay at 10 teams.
Boren: “We decided after very thorough discussion that we would remain at 10 members.”
— Jared Stansbury (@Stanz51) October 17, 2016
Boren said that the decision to remain at 10 schools was a unanimous choice among league leaders. He also said that the league didn’t discuss any particular schools that applied for admission to the conference.
He said that the option of creating a Big 12 television network was kicked around, but that also will not happen at this time.
Boren said they’ve explored the option of a Big 12 Network. “That was something that was not going to move forward.”
— Jared Stansbury (@Stanz51) October 17, 2016
Boren and Bowlsby both said that the marketplace essentially made that decision for them. That is likely tied to the creation of the ACC Network, which was announced during the summer.
Another topic that has been highly discussed in the public was an extension to the conference’s grant of rights. Boren and Bowlsby said that there was little discussion of the GOR during the league meetings.
Boren: “Not a single school in this conference is looking to go elsewhere.” Said a GOR extension was not discussed.
— Jared Stansbury (@Stanz51) October 17, 2016
Boren: “No one’s looking to walk away from this conference.”
— Jared Stansbury (@Stanz51) October 17, 2016
Both men put a great deal of emphasis on the fact that this was not a decision to expand but “a reinvestment and endorsement” of the 10 schools currently in the league. They also both emphasized that expansion is no longer an open agenda item for the league’s leaders moving forward.
Bowlsby on expansion: “We do not consider it an active decision item any longer.”
— Jared Stansbury (@Stanz51) October 17, 2016
But….
Boren: “We would never say never.”
— Jared Stansbury (@Stanz51) October 17, 2016
Stay tuned to Cyclone Fanatic throughout the evening for more on this story and its impact on Iowa State.
